Date:06/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/06/stories/2008030659080600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Government considering loan waiver for SC/STs

Special Correspondent

Scholarships to the SCs and STs also will be paid in time, says Chief Minister

Total amount to be waived around Rs.1108 crore for SCs, Rs.104 crore for STs
YSR agrees to provide collateral security for the SCs and STs for bank loans

HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Wednesday announced that the government was considering waiver of loans borrowed from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Cooperative Finance Corporations on the lines of the debt relief and debt waiver.

The total amount to be waived comes to around Rs.1108 crore for SCs, Rs.104 crore for STs. The total beneficiaries are around 14.25 SCs and 11 lakh STs. During an interaction with a delegation of SC and ST legislators, who met him at the Secretariat here, Dr. Reddy agreed to provide collateral security for the SCs and STs for bank loans obtained through SC and ST Cooperative Finance Societies and State Finance Corporation on the lines of the security being given to the SC/ST small and medium entrepreneurs.

He said scholarships to the SCs and STs also will be paid in time. Dr Reddy announced that the Government will construct houses on its own under the INDIRAMMA scheme Phase I and II for the SCs & STs, who are not able to construct them and bring them under the IAY scheme. He said a Plain Tribal Development Authority is being formed to look into the problems of the tribals in the plain areas. About the maintenance of SC/ST hostels and outsourcing of the works and also construction of new buildings for the hostels functioning in private buildings, the Chief Minister expressed his serious concern and asked the officials about the delay.

He announced that all power dues of the SCs and STs will be waived. This works out a total of Rs.183 crore. He also agreed to look into all other issues concerning the SCs/STs.

Ministers Koneru Ranga Rao, Ms. Geetha Reddy, P Subhas Chandra Bose, Redya Naik, Special Chief Secretary (Power), A K. Goel., AP Transco Managing Director, Rachel Chatterjee, Commissioner (Social Welfare) R.M. Gonela, Secretary (Tribal Welfare) Nagi Reddy, Principal Secretary, (Housing) M.V.P.C Sastry, AP State Housing Corporation Managing Director R. Subramaniam and representatives of SC/ST MLAs attended the meeting.