Families across Andhra Pradesh are happily celebrating the new version of the ‘Thalliki Vandanam’ (Salute to Mothers) scheme. The government has deposited money into mothers’ bank accounts just before schools reopen, helping them purchase books, uniforms, and other essential items for their children.
This time, the TDP-led government made a big change. Now, every school-going child in a family will get help. Earlier, during the YSRCP rule, only one child from each family got support, even if there were many school-going children.
Now, families with 3 to 6 children are getting ₹13,000 per child. For example, Nagamani, who has four daughters, received ₹52,000. She said, “Now I can educate all my daughters without taking loans.” Another mother, Priyanka, who has three girls, said, “Earlier, we got only ₹15,000. Now we have ₹39,000. This is a big help for us.” Many parents shared how this money is helping them pay school fees and other education expenses.
Parents say this new rule is fair. Earlier, they had to choose one child to get the benefit. Now, all children from Class 1 to Intermediate are included. This change is giving big relief to middle-class and poor families.
The scheme is also part of other helpful steps taken by the government. Midday meals in schools now have better quality rice, gas cylinder subsidies under the Deepam scheme, and better quality ration items are also helping families. In fact, 73.7% of people said they are happy with the ration system now.
In many villages, mothers say this is the first time all their children are treated equally. With ₹39,000 to ₹78,000 coming into their accounts, many families say their lives have become easier. The TDP coalition government says this is only the beginning, and more such welfare programs will come soon. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has promised that every family will feel the benefit of good governance.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to YSRCP leaders to prove their allegation that ₹2,000 from each Thalliki Vandana beneficiary is being diverted into his personal account or face a defamation case. The controversy erupted after the So-called YSRCP accused Lokesh on social media of misusing funds deducted for school maintenance from the ₹15,000 educational assistance per child. Lokesh dismissed the claims as baseless, pointing out that the same deduction was practised during the YSRCP regime without objection. As the deadline expired without a response from YS Jagan’s social media, the issue escalated to a legal face-off.
