The journalists associations are launching protest programmes against the YCP government’s media gag order. There are fears that GO 2430 issued by CM Jagan will allow bureaucrats to file criminal cases in respect of baseless reports. The journalists now face the grim prospects of getting immediately arrested for writing anything that hurts the ruling party or the government.

TDP boss Chandrababu Naidu had declared that their party would extend all support to the agitating journalists till the YCP government withdraws the controversial GO. He says that the national media is fighting back strongly against Jagan Reddy’s draconian order. But the state level Andhra media is not opposing it strongly. Obviously, the state media are afraid of going to jail under Jagan rule. Such fears were not there among journalists even during the YS Rajasekhar Reddy Regime.

A fresh case is booked against retired IAS officer CVSK Sarma for claiming fake bills towards legal aid in Jagan Rs 45,000 Cr CBI illegal assets cases. The case is booked in the Saifabad police station in Hyderabad following an order from the court based on a petition from a person. The petitioner complained that Sarma withdrew nearly Rs 8 lakh by submitting false bills to the government. Interestingly, the then Chief Secretary PK Mohanty blindly approved the bills. The then Revenue Secretary PV Ramesh released the funds immediately.

At that time, the government gave legal aid to nearly 7 IAS officers who were stuck in Jagan corruption cases that were before the CBI court. Allegations came up in respect of CVSK Sarma for claiming a huge amount towards legal charges. Petitioner PV Ramana argued that PK Mohanty and Ramesh approved the fake bills of Sarma without any check or cross verification. Sarma was the secretary of irrigation when it happened.

The latest case created a sensation in the bureaucratic and political circles. Jagan cases are haunting the IAS officers some way or other without any relief.

The ruling YCP Ministers and MLAs may be happy over the bold step taken by CM Jaganmohan Reddy against the newspapers, TV and the social media. But the IAS officers are greatly alarmed at the impact of CM Jaganmohan Reddy’s order to gag media. They are now afraid what kind of pressure will be brought by the ruling party leaders to file cases against the media on some pretext or the other.

Till now, the police and the revenue officials at lower levels are forced to book cases to harass the opposition leaders especially those of the TDP. From now on, the bureaucrats are going to be under constant pressure to take action against the media in the name of the recent orders. The officials know such armtwisting acts will serve no purpose. Especially, the national media may react angrily to such harassment.

In a democracy, it is not wise to harass the media just for the sake of writing baseless reports. It would be more difficult to control the social media which has no publisher or editor. The IAS officers are in confusion how to go about this as no other state in the country has brought such draconian order. Moreover, there’s a feeling that the bureaucrats are going to be made culprits in the whole process.

The Ministers and YCP MLAs are under tremendous pressure to bring funds from the government to take up development works in their respective assembly constituencies. However, they are not able to get major allocations. The ruling party MLAs are facing criticism as well because of their failure to undertake development works though they are in ruling.

Deputy chief minister Amjad Bhasha raised the issue in the state cabinet. He was left stunned on hearing the reply of CM Jaganmohan Reddy. Jagan told his cabinet colleagues that the financial situation is very bad. With great difficulty, Rs. 5,000 Cr could be mobilised for the important Rythu Bharosa scheme. Jagan finally mentioned that his government is having big trouble to find resources to repay Rs. 65,000 pending bills left by Chandrababu Naidu.

But will the general public keep silent if the government goes on blaming the previous regime? Certainly, the coming days will force YCP MLAs and Ministers to face angry public regarding development works in their respective constituencies.

The AP Cabinet today announced financial assistance to weavers’ families to the tune of Rs. 24,000 per family. CM Jaganmohan Reddy, who chaired the Cabinet meeting, gave his green signal for YSR Nethanna Nestam. Under this, each weaver’s family will get Rs. 24,000 per year. All this amount would be transferred through bank in one single installment. As per records, the scheme will benefit nearly 90,000 weavers in the state. It would require Rs. 216 crore budget.

In addition to this, the Cabinet has also okayed the distribution of Rs. 10,000 assistance to the fishermen. This would be given during fishing ban. Also, the government would open its own diesel filling stations in coastal areas to provide diesel to fishermen on subsidy.

Also, Rs. 5,000 financial incentive would be given to lawyers. The Cabinet announced all these sops as per the promises made by CM Jagan during his Padayatra before the general election. These cash transfer schemes will bring additional burden on the state treasury. Already, the government is struggling to mobilise funds to pay farmers under Rythu Bharosa.

The financial situation of Andhra Pradesh is in deepest crisis. It is not in a position to make payments of any sort. This is why it is unable to give Letters of Credit to the solar companies towards power supply dues. At such a time, the Centre ordered AP to issue LoCs failing which the state will be blocked from buying power in the Electricity Exchange. Pushed to a corner, AP Government has challenged the Centre’s order in the High Court. It narrated about its weak financial position. The court gave stay orders for three weeks.

The differences between AP and the Centre are increasing day by day. CM Jagan’s adamant attitude towards solar companies is making the Centre take a tougher stand against AP. The power department officials are worried that the Centre may take a final hardline against AP. In such a situation, all cooperation will be stopped and AP will face acute power shortage and also supply cuts continuously. Chief Secretary LV Subrahmanyam tried to resolve the crisis by asking respective departments to pay dues to solar companies but there’s no money available. No bank is coming forward to give new loans thanks to anti-development tag of Jagan Circar.

YCP leaders’ favourite slogan about CM Jagan is ‘Mata thappadu, Madama Thippadu’ (Never breaks his word, Never turns his heel). But the prevailing economic breakdown in Andhra has made the young CM go back on many of his election promises. Now, Jagan is seen breaking his word and turning his heel on his favorite scheme Rythu Bharosa. This is also the first promise mentioned in the Navaratnalu Cash Transfer welfare schemes.

Jagan has broken his pre-poll promise of one-time payment of Rs. 12,500 to farmers towards crop investment support. During election campaign, Jagan criticised and poked fun at Chandrababu Naidu for not giving loan waiver to farmers at one go. Naidu paid loan waiver amounts in installments. Last two installments amounts were not paid at all which Jagan is unwilling to pay now.

The same Jagan is now wanting to pay Bharosa amount in three installments every year. Farmers are saying that smaller amounts in three installments will not be of much use to them. They will be wasted without serving any purpose. If the total amount is given at one time, it will be used to carry out some agricultural activities. Jagan has also reduced coverage of Bharosa to just 40 lakh farmers as against 70 lakh identified in socio economic survey.

The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday launched a free mass eye screening programme with an aim to eradicate blindness.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the programme ‘Dr YSR Kanti Velugu’ at Anantapur on the occasion of ‘World Sight Day’.

As a part of health reforms, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government decided to implement the programme to provide cashless comprehensive primary, secondary and tertiary quality eye care services to the state’s entire population.

The programme, to be implemented in six phases over the next three years, is estimated to cost about Rs 560.88 crore including free eye screening, spectacles, strengthening of government institutions, hiring of temporary staff, cataract surgeries and other secondary and tertiary eye care management.

Under the first phase, which was launched on Thursday and will continue till October 16, over 70 lakh students will receive primary basic screening by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), teachers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and other staff members.

The two-months-long second phase will be launched on November 1. In this phase, secondary screening and prescription of spectacles will be provided to the students.

The Chief Minister said that over 70 lakh students of more than 62,000 government and private schools will be covered in the first two phases.

He said that the programme would prove a boon to the entire population as an estimated 2.12 crore people were suffering from eye-related problems.

“If the problems are not detected in time and necessary measures are not taken to address them, they could lead to total blindness,” said Reddy.

From the third to sixth phase, the state government will provide primary mass eye screening, prescription and distribution of spectacles, secondary and tertiary care management (cataract surgeries, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy etc.) to one crore people through village volunteers, ASHA, ANM, Primary Health Centre staff, Para Medical Ophthalmic Officers (PMOOs), all government institutions, Vision Centres, NGOs and all other healthcare functionaries.

Officials said that 1,145 primary health centres, 195 community health centres, 28 area hospitals, 13 district hospitals, 11 tertiary hospitals (Including 2 regional eye hospitals), 115 vision centres, 13 district blindness control societies and 117 registered NGO hospitals will be involved in the programme.

Those participating in the implementation of the ‘Dr YSR Kanti Velugu’ scheme will include 160 district programme officers, 1,415 health officials, 42,360 ASHA workers, 62,500 teachers, 14,000 ANMs and 14,000 health department employees.

CM Jaganmohan Reddy’s favourite word is credibility. Very ironically, his government got stuck in a huge credibility crisis. He was talking a lot about how his ‘Navaratnalu’ Cash Transfer welfare programmes would be ideal for the entire country till recently. He was assuring Andhra people that the banks will generously give loans to fund ‘Navaratnalu’. Interestingly, Jagan couldn’t bring a single rupee loan additionally.

Obviously, the financial institutions would analyse all risk factors. They are considering Andhra under Jagan Regime as a high risk state. Jagan’s immature decisions in the past five months are the reasons for this sad state. Now, CM Jagan can neither come backward nor go forward. He got trapped in a Padmavyooham. Naidu Circar took massive loans and began world class projects like Amaravati. Jagan failed to understand the financial implications of such big ventures. By reversing these sensitive projects, Jagan caused irreversible harm. He amassed such negative image that may not cause personal loss to him but it would leave Andhra a crippled state worse than ever.