Once again, N. Chandrababu Naidu has betrayed women in Andhra Pradesh. Two running lifeline programs—the YSR Zero-Interest Loan Scheme and the YSR Kalyana Masthu Scheme—have been scrapped mid-way. In their place, the coalition government is peddling loans with an interest burden, rebranded under new names. For women across the state, this is nothing but old deception in a new bottle.
A History of False Promises
Naidu’s track record is littered with broken assurances. In 2014, he promised DWCRA women a complete loan waiver but failed to deliver, denying them Rs. 25,571 crore in relief and siphoning off Rs. 3,036 crore from the Pavala Vaddi scheme. In 2024, he repeated the script with Aada Bidda Nidhi and Deepam, promising direct support but abandoning them after taking office.
Aada Bidda Nidhi: A Mega Betrayal
Ahead of the 2024 elections, Naidu promised Rs. 1,500 per month for every woman aged 18–59—Rs. 18,000 annually per beneficiary. With 1.8 crore eligible women, the scheme required Rs. 32,400 crore annually and Rs. 64,800 crore over two years. Yet, in two budgets, not a single rupee was allocated.
Minister Atchannaidu even remarked that “the state would have to be sold” to fund it—a candid admission of Naidu’s fraud. Effectively, every woman in Andhra Pradesh is now Rs. 36,000 short of what was promised.
Deepam That Never Lit
Another flagship promise under the “Super Six” was Deepam, aimed at 1.59 crore LPG connections. Government websites, including the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and the PPAC, confirm the scale. To provide three free cylinders per year, Rs. 4,000 crore annually was required. Instead, only a fraction was delivered—yet another betrayal.
NTR Schemes: New Names, Old Deception
The government now claims to offer NTR Vidya Lakshmi (Rs. 1 lakh loan for education at Pavala Vaddi) and NTR Kalyana Lakshmi (Rs. 1 lakh loan for marriages at Pavala Vaddi). But DWCRA women remember that between 2014–19, Naidu scrapped even the earlier Pavala Vaddi loans. They see these as interest-loaded traps, not empowerment.
Worse, the YSR Kalyana Masthu Scheme, which directly supported SC, ST, BC, and minority women for marriages, has been discontinued. Women’s groups allege that Naidu deliberately buried this inclusive program to promote his rebranded version.
YSRCP’s Contrast: Relief, Revival, Respect
When Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed office in 2019, he witnessed first-hand the plight of women during his padayatra. True to his word, his government revived SHGs with YSR Aasara by repaying Rs. 25,571 crore in loans across 7.98 lakh SHGs, benefiting 78.9 lakh women. NPAs, which stood at 18.36% under Naidu, dropped to 0.45%.
● YSR Zero-Interest: Over four years, Rs. 4,969 crore credited to 1 crore+ women, leading to a record 99.5% repayment compliance.
● Navaratnalu Support: Rs. 1,89,519 crore credited directly to women’s accounts, plus Rs. 94,347 crore in indirect support, totaling Rs. 2,83,866 crore in five years.
● Cheyutha: 26.98 lakh SC, ST, BC, and minority women received Rs. 19,189.6 crore. Corporate tie-ups with Amul, HUL, ITC, Reliance Retail, P&G, and Ajio provided training, markets, and supply chains.
● Cheyutha Outcomes: 19.37 lakh women now earn Rs. 8,000–Rs. 10,000 monthly through small businesses.
● Amul Partnership: 27 lakh dairy women benefitted, with profit-sharing twice yearly—a historic step for women’s economic independence.
Tangible Results for Women
Independent central government studies confirmed:
● 54% SHG women earn above Rs. 60,000 annually.
● 14.01 lakh women crossed Rs. 1 lakh per year.
● 31.04 lakh women earn Rs. 60,000–Rs. 1,00,000.
● 33.21 lakh women earn Rs. 25,000–Rs. 60,000.
● 98% of poor women saw a measurable rise in income.
Meanwhile, SHG credit access skyrocketed: under Naidu, groups got only Rs. 2–3 lakh loans, while under Jagan, each SHG secured up to Rs. 20 lakh loans. In total, SHGs accessed Rs. 1,73,474 crore in bank loans during 2019–24, thanks to regained financial credibility.
A Record of Empowerment vs. A Trail of Betrayal
In just five years, Jagan’s model transformed women into stakeholders of growth—from debt-ridden dependents to self-reliant earners. From Cheyutha to Amul, from Aasara to Zero-Interest, the change has been systemic and measurable.
In contrast, Naidu’s record remains one of deception. He lured women with grand promises, cancelled functioning schemes, and is now attempting to recycle old failures under new names. Women’s groups across the state are clear: “Chandrababu buries old schemes and sells new lies.”
● YSRCP delivered Rs. 2.83 lakh crore empowerment.
● Naidu delivered betrayal, unpaid promises, and interest burdens.
For women of Andhra Pradesh, the choice is between a government that gave them strength—and a leader who repeatedly stabbed them in the back.
