Overview

• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu formally launched the scheme in Vijayawada, with direct transfers of ₹15,000 each to eligible auto, taxi and maxi cab owners.
• The state reported disbursing about ₹436–437 crore via DBT to roughly 2,90,000 named beneficiaries, with online checks and a WhatsApp grievance line active for those left out.
• Eligibility targets permanent residents who own and operate registered vehicles and hold valid licence, Aadhaar, ration card and RC, excluding drivers of rented vehicles.
• The government announced a planned ride-booking app with a control room, an Auto Drivers Welfare Board and phased EV adoption, complementing reduced green tax and extensive road repairs.
• The payout is framed as a step up from the previous ₹10,000 support, with Visakhapatnam logging the most beneficiaries and category-wise coverage spanning autorickshaws, motor cabs and maxi cabs.