Vote for opposition will scrap welfare schemes, Jagan tells people

Amaravati, Jan 23: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday cautioned people that a vote for the opposition in the forthcoming elections will result in them losing the slew of welfare schemes implemented by his YSRCP government during the last five years.

He urged the people to cast their vote for YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in the ensuing elections to ensure the continuity of slew of DBT and non-DBT welfare schemes in future.

"Your vote for YSRCP is not just a vote for Jagan as Chief Minister. You have to remember that the slew of welfare schemes will continue only if Jagan continues as Chief Minister. So, exercise your franchise judiciously," he said in his address at a public meeting at Uravakonda in Anantapur district.

Taking a dig at the state Congress chief and his sister Y. S. Sharmila, he said that some leaders have joined the Congress which had bifurcated the state illogically and done injustice to the residual Andhra Pradesh.

He said that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu has many star campaigners in other parties, including his sister-in-law (state BJP chief D. Purandeswari), his covert supporters in BJP, foster son Pawan Kalyan and the "pseudo-intellectuals who conduct debates in TV channels".

"All of them are coming together to give him a fresh lease of political life even though he didn’t implement a single welfare scheme during his rule.

"These star campaigners are no match for my star campaigners who are beneficiaries of various welfare schemes," he added.

He alleged that Naidu campaigners, who are residents of the neighboring state, are out to support "the blatant lies and propaganda unleashed by the TDP-friendly media" on a daily basis to malign the government.

"I may not have foster sons and friendly media. They may think that the YSRCP has no star campaigners. But as beneficiaries of a slew of welfare schemes, you are my star campaigners,” he told the crowd amid cheers, and asked them to teach a fitting lesson to the opposition in the ensuing elections.

Though the budget during the TDP rule was the same as of now, it failed to implement even a single welfare scheme for the poor as Naidu pursued the policy of plunder, stash and devour, he alleged.

With the Government implementing YSR Aasara, YSR Cheyuta and Sunna Vaddi (zero per cent interest) and other schemes, 91 per cent of the C and D grade self-help groups in TDP rule have now transformed into A and B grades while their NPA (Non-Performing Asset) value has come down to 0.17 per cent from 18.36 per cent.

He further said that a whopping Rs. 2, 50 lakh crore was spent on DBT welfare schemes for the uplift of weaker sections of society.

"While Naidu neglected women’s safety and empowerment, we have made an Act to allot 50 per cent of the nominated posts and contracts to women while posting women constables in village secretariats. We have also given utmost priority for the safety and security of women launching the Disha App which was downloaded by more than 1.46 crore women,” the Chief Minister stated, adding that the government focused on women empowerment unlike any other state.