Minister for Social Welfare Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy addressing the media at the Secretariat in Amaravati on Wednesday.
Minister for Social Welfare, Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens, and Swarna Gramam & Ward Secretariat Systems Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy on Wednesday said the TDP-led NDA government in the State was ushering in a new era of welfare governance aimed at social justice, equal opportunities and empowerment of marginalised communities.
Addressing the media, Mr. Swamy said, as lasting social and economic equality could be achieved only through quality education, skill development, employment, healthcare, and dignified living, extensive reforms were being implemented through welfare hostels, residential schools, study circles, scholarships, skill development initiatives, disability welfare programmes and Swarna Gramam and Ward systems.
Education reforms
Top priority was accorded to educational empowerment, he said, elaborating that under the Post-Matric Scholarship scheme, ₹1,543.17 crore had been released towards fee reimbursement, benefiting 5.40 lakh SC students. Additionally, ₹326.74 crore was provided to 2.51 lakh pre-matric students under the Talliki Vandanam programme.
Free coaching was being offered for NEET, JEE, Civil Services, Group examinations, and DSC recruitment tests. Of the 2,000 candidates trained under DSC coaching, 331 secured teaching jobs, demonstrating the effectiveness of the programme, he said.
Educational standards in Social Welfare Residential Schools and hostels had improved significantly, with pass percentages of 85.32% in SSC and 72.30% in Intermediate, he said, adding that residential schools achieved 89% SSC and 92% Intermediate pass rates. Forty-five students scored above 950 marks in Intermediate, while a hostel student secured 591 marks in SSC. Four Centres of Excellence were being established to prepare students for national-level examinations such as NEET and JEE, he said.
To improve hostel infrastructure, ₹104.96 crore had been spent on repairs and development works in 774 hostels. RO drinking water plants, sanitation systems, house-keeping staff and new matrons had been provided. AI-enabled CCTV cameras had been installed in 989 hostels at a cost of ₹19.80 crore to enhance student safety. Mechanised kitchens and trained cooking staff were ensuring hygienic and nutritious meals, he said.
Disability welfare
Highlighting disability welfare initiatives, the Minister said services were extended to nearly 30 lakh persons during International Day of Persons with Disabilities programmes, with allocation of over ₹13 crore. Assistive devices were distributed to 52,263 beneficiaries, while recruitment had started for 329 backlog posts reserved for persons with disabilities. Disability pensions had been enhanced to ₹6,000 per month and accessibility measures, including special lifts, were being introduced in Collectorates, and a dedicated council had been established for transgender welfare.
He said under the Swarna Gramam and Ward system, 1.68 crore households had been mapped and e-KYC completed for 1.71 crore families. DigiLocker facilities wre being promoted, and transparent promotion and transfer policies were being implemented for village and ward staff.
Published – June 10, 2026 08:40 pm IST
