Andhra opposition calls new districts 'unscientific', 'politically motivated'

Amaravati, April 4:  Creation of 13 new districts by YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh on Monday has riled up the opposition parties which called the process of reorganisation "unscientific" and "politically motivated".

Main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP), led by actor politician Pawan Kalyan, slammed YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government for the manner in which they reorganized the districts. They alleged that the government did not take into consideration people's opinion.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy formally inaugurated 13 districts, doubling the number to 26, in a major administrative overhaul, which he claimed is aimed at decentralisation and taking the governance close to people.

However, the TDP and the JSP did not agree that the reorganisation of districts has been done for people's good.

TDP national President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu described the formation of new districts as "unscientific" and "politically motivated". The TDP would certainly come to power in the next elections when it would correct all such mistakes being made by the present regime, he said.

Naidu alleged that the government did not take into consideration the objections and protests made by the people against new districts and revenue divisions.

Interestingly, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said he obliged opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu's request and accorded revenue division status to Kuppam on the latter's request.

"On the appeal made by Kuppam MLA (Chandrababu Naidu), we included Kuppam in the list of 21 new revenue divisions," he said.

Chandrababu Naidu, who was Chief Minister for 14 years, failed to make Kuppam revenue division but we made it, he said.

With the inclusion of 21 new revenue divisions, the total number has gone up to 72 from 51.

The new districts were formed in accordance with the public opinion after due consideration of 17,500 representations from the people, the Chief Minister said, adding that the government had taken various factors into consideration, including sentiments of the people in carving the new districts.

However, Pawan Kalyan said district reorganisation was done by ignoring people's opinion. "The rulers moved forward as per their own perception without considering and valuing the public opinion in the process of reorganization of districts in the state," he said terming reorganisation "lopsided".

He asked why the government didn't take the people's aspirations, issues of distance in the new districts and other constraints into consideration. "Similarly, there is not even a proper story on the long-pending demands for the districts. The tribal people of submerged mandals will face so many hurdles in the district formed with Paderu as headquarters. People of Etapaka and Kukunuru mandals have to travel at least 300 km to reach the district headquarters," he said.

On Rampachodavaram as district headquarters, he said that even Rayalaseema people's opinion was not taken care of. There are demands for districts with headquarters in Madanapalle, Hindupur and Markapuram.

"Opinion was not taken from people, parties and people's organisations. There was no debate before issuing the draft notification. Even the memoranda given by the people have not been considered," Pawan Kalyan said.

He announced that Jana Sena will extend support to the protests launched by the people against the loopholes in the reorganisation process and inconvenience caused to them. He said the party would take responsibility for rectifying the mistakes and reorganise the districts based on the people's convenience.