Andhra Pradesh is in the throes of a deep economic crisis. Even paying the monthly salaries of the government employees has become a huge problem. Implementing the flagship welfare programmes has become a major challenge for YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Every month, the state government is going with a begging bowl even for paying the salaries of the employees.
Given this situation, how will the government of YS Jagan implement its other election time and Padayatra time promises? During the Praja Sankalpa Yatra, YS Jagan had repeatedly said that he would constitute several new districts for better administrative control. He said that this move will bring the government closer to the people. Soon after coming to power, he began holding consultations with senior officers, district incharge ministers and district collectors. He had even constituted a committee under the leadership of the then CS and current election commissioner Neelam Sahni.
However, the financial problems have made him go slow on this. Sources said that the Telangnana experience has mellowed him down. In Telangana, providing quarters, building and other infrastructural facilities has turned out to be a huge burden. Provision of vehicles too was a problem. The administration is also unable to allocate IAS officers for managing the affairs in the newly carved out districts. It is being said that Jagan now has second thoughts over this.
But, YS Jagan is also said to be worried about the political fallout of not carving out the new districts. The consultations and the committee formation on this issue have raised hopes among the people and have hiked the land prices in the proposed district districts. If Jagan backtracks on this issue, there could be public outcry over this. So, this issue of devolution has become something of being caught between the devil and the deepsea.
