The market in Andhra Pradesh is jubilant, ahead of the annual Pongal festival.
While the new crop for the year had come in giving greater relief to the families from the year-long lockdown and pandemic, the money deposited directly in the bank accounts by the state government under the scheme had further brought jubilation.
The state government headed by chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had deposited Rs 6,673 crore in the bank accounts of 44,48,665 women beneficiaries across the state under Amma Vodi, meant for the education of the children.
The state had seen close to 50 lakh families receiving Rs 14,000 each for the year, a week before the festival.
When chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy pressed the button on the computer at Nellore on Monday and as the money started adding to the bank accounts of the women, there was jubilation across the state, both in the families and the market.
The market forces, particularly the cloth merchants and the grocery merchants, have been eagerly waiting for the Amma Vodi scheme to be paid. There was no business for these sectors for the past one year due to lock down. The cloth merchants have spent almost 8 months behind the closed shutters, with no business.
With money on hand, the merchants expect people to buy new cloths and buy grocery for the festival season. This, would give them good business, though the money is meant to be spent for the education of the children.
The State government is upgrading the schools and colleges and is providing new uniform, books, shoes and bags, taking away the financial commitments of the parents.
With not much to spend for the education, the families are now looking at the merchants to celebrate the Pongal meaningfully, after the painful lockdown all through.