Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, launching his Auto Drivers' Sevalo programme on Saturday, announced a new ride-hailing app like Rapido and Uber, alongside an Auto Drivers' Welfare Board to safeguard the livelihoods of drivers in Andhra Pradesh.
The Auto Drivers' Sevalo scheme provides for an annual financial assistance of ₹15,000 to over 2.9 lakh autorickshaw owning drivers, apart from cab and maxi cab drivers across the state, with an allocation of ₹436 crore during the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Like other schemes, the money will be directly deposited into the accounts of the eligible beneficiaries. The amount is to offset the income loss due to the implementation of the Stree Shakti free RTC bus travel scheme for women.
At the launch of the scheme held amid a big crowd at the Singh Nagar stadium in Vijayawada, the Chief Minister, himself dressed in a khaki shirt symbolising an auto driver, unveiled an Auto Drivers' Welfare Board to safeguard their interests and ensure their future well-being.
Naidu highlighted his government's accomplishments, including repairing 23,000 km of roads with an expenditure of ₹3,400 crore, significantly reducing the vehicle repair costs. He assured that unnecessary fines on autos would be scrapped. There will be a simple permit system and CCTV monitoring to encourage discipline within drivers, ensure traffic rules and law enforcement.
The CM urged drivers to act as ambassadors of the government's good works, spreading awareness about the welfare schemes that it is implementing. He reiterated his government's commitment to welfare programmes, including free bus travel for women under Stree Shakti, universal health insurance for poor, and affordable meal schemes for children and families.
Naidu pointed out that the Central government has eased the financial burden on the public by reducing prices of essential commodities through lower GST rates.
The Chief Minister referred to the previous government's mismanagement, which had led to the collapse of all systems. "People should choose the government that works in their best interest," he underlined, citing the example of Gujarat, which has witnessed remarkable progress under a stable government for 25 consecutive years. The TD chief sought similar results in AP with a stable government.
Naidu asserted that Andhra Pradesh has been witnessing rapid development under the "double engine sarkar" for the past 16 months, with significant improvements in roads that would directly benefit auto drivers due to reduced vehicle repairs.
Those present at the event included Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, ministers N. Lokesh, M. Ramprasada Reddy and Satyakumar Yadav, BJP state president P.V.N. Madhav, MP Kesineni Sivanath, MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao and senior officials.