Amaravati, Nov 23 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday disbursed Rs 82 crore under the YSR Kalyanamasthu and YSR Shaadi Tohfa schemes to meet the marriage expenses of poor people from SC, ST, BC, minority and other communities.

The chief minister said that these two schemes are part of a noble programme aimed at helping poor parents who aspire to marry off their children respectfully, after educating them, to start a new life.

'This programme is another step forward in taking ownership of the poorer sections of SC, ST, BC, minority, specially-abled and construction workers, to give them an assurance that they are the most important people, and handhold them in every possible way,' said Reddy, virtually addressing officials from his camp office.

The funds were distributed to 10,511 couples who got married between July and September, he said.

Starting in October 2022, these two schemes disbursed a total financial aid of Rs 349 crore to 46,062 couples in four tranches for four quarters, the CM said. PTI STH ANE