Andhra Pradesh CM, family turn mentors under Zero Poverty initiative

Amaravati, July 25 (IANS) Leading by example, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his family members have come forward to become mentors under the state government’s zero poverty initiative P4.

The Chief Minister and his family would personally adopt Bangaru Kutumbams, as the beneficiary families under the programme are called.

During a review meeting held on Friday at the Secretariat on P4 initiative, the Chief Minister announced that he and members of his family would actively participate in the programme

He stated that this personal involvement would inspire others and encourage more affluent citizens to come forward as mentors.

The Chief Minister reiterated that by August 15, efforts must be made to ensure the adoption of 15 lakh Bangaru Kutumbams by mentors.

As of now, 5,74,811 families have been adopted and 57,503 individuals have registered as mentors.

Officials informed him that an additional two lakh mentors are required to reach the goal. Palnadu district has recorded the highest number of adoptions, while Visakhapatnam has the fewest.

The Zero Poverty P4 programme is being implemented through three models. In the first model, a mentor adopts a Bangaru Kutumbam and provides non-financial assistance. This approach does not have a time limit.

The second model, titled Fund a Need, is designed to provide direct financial support to Kutumbams with specific monetary needs and is time-bound.

The third model involves adopting entire villages or mandals to fulfill broader community needs and organise developmental and welfare activities. This model is aligned with corporate social responsibility and is intended specifically for corporate participation.

The Chief Minister said that the P4 initiative is evolving into a people’s movement and reiterated that the empowerment of poor families is a core objective of the coalition government. He urged officials to implement the most effective strategies across all regions to ensure the success of the programme.

He called on Telugu people around the world to become part of the initiative and advised officials to engage the AP NRT Society to involve the diaspora.

He also stressed the responsibility of district collectors to coordinate with corporate organisations and encourage their participation.

Emphasisng the importance of local engagement, he suggested that villages be taken as the basic unit and that NRIs and industrialists from those regions adopt local Bangaru Kutumbams. In the absence of local mentors, he directed officials to establish connections with non-local supporters.

To accommodate donors at the state level, the Chief Minister proposed the creation of a common fund that would be used to provide support to Bangaru Kutumbams.

The Chief Minister directed that the survey identifying the top priorities of Bangaru Kutumbams be completed by August 10.

He emphasised the need to gather feedback on both financial and non-financial assistance provided by mentors. Officials must instill trust among mentors and ensure that all information about Bangaru Kutumbams and mentors is accurately recorded at the village and ward secretariat levels. Only then, he said, can justice be delivered to all beneficiaries. He also instructed P4 coordinators to use online platforms to raise awareness among Bangaru Kutumbams.

Adopted Kutumbams are receiving timely updates through automated messages. Officials also briefed the Chief Minister on the digital promotion campaign being implemented to expand public awareness of the P4 initiative via social media and other platforms.

--IANS

ms/uk