Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released water from Kuppam Branch Canal that would irrigate 6300 acres afresh in Kuppam constituency and provide drinking water to 4.02 lakh people in Kuppam and Palamaneru constituencies.
Addressing a huge public meeting here on Monday after conducting special prayers at the canal and releasing water at Rajupet in Ramakuppam mandal, the Chief Minister said Government worked with strong commitment for the development of the constituency though it was totally neglected during the TDP rule.
Sating that the release of water from Kuppam Branch Canal would be written in golden letters in the region’s history, the Chief Minister said he has fulfilled his promise given to the people in a public meeting at Kuppam on Sept 23, 2022.
After giving administrative sanction to Kuppam Branch Canal in 2015 and giving contract to his benamis, Naidu treated it as a canal of money flow into his pockets but abandoned it later as he couldn’t find the flow enough, he said.
Though Naidu abandoned it, Government strived hard to bring Krishna water to Kuppam, 540 meters upstream and 670 km away from Srisailam as part of the Handri Niva Project, he said.
The 123.641 km long Kuppam Branch Canal was constructed with a cost of Rs. 560.29crore under the AVR HNSS Project Phase-2 to strengthen the ayacut connecting 110 minor irrigation tanks in Kuppam constituency.
He said that Government has upgraded Kuppam from panchayat to municipality besides establishing Revenue Division and a police sub-division for Kuppam.
He said Rs.66crore has been sanctioned for various development works in Kuppam municipality and Rs. 100crore for development works in four Mandals of Kuppam constituency besides giving administrative approvals for construction of Rs.215crore reservoir as part of Palar project.
Government has also given administrative approvals for the construction of two reservoirs at Madanapalle near Shantipuram Mandal and Yamigani Palle near Gudipalli Mandal with a cost of Rs. 535crore. These reservoirs will irrigate an additional 5000 acres, he said.
Earlier, the Chief Minister also laid foundation stone Palar project.
Jagan releases water from Kuppam Branch Canal
Jagan distributes house site pattas at Ongole
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy formally launched the distribution of registered conveyance deeds of house sites to 31.19 lakh beneficiaries who received house site pattas under Navaratnalu-Pedalandariki Illu.
The Chief Minister also formally handed over house site pattas and conveyance deeds to 20,480 in Ongole Municipal Corporation limits, besides sanctioning funds for construction of houses. Government spent Rs 231 crore for purchasing land and developing lay out.
Addressing a huge public meeting before handing over the conveyance deeds to the women here on Friday, the Chief Minister said Government has done away with the policy of giving D-Pattas to the poor beneficiaries of house sites to remove disparities in conferring ownership rights.
Government has been following a uniform policy in conferring ownership rights on the allotted house sites to the poor as well as to other privileged sections like IAS officials, he said, adding this is in pursuance of the policy to treat all sections of society equally.
Hence, Government has decided to distribute freely registered conveyance deeds conferring full rights on the beneficiaries after 10 years and the registered documents would be made available at village and ward secretariats.
Government has been implementing reforms in education, medical and health and other sectors to narrow down disparities between the poor and rich sections of society so that the children from the weaker sections pursue English medium education on par with the children from the privileged sections.
He said Government has also enhanced the free medical treatment limit to Rs. 25 lakh under the YSR Aarogyasri scheme so that the poor would also be able to get medical treatment on par with the rich.
Disbursal of Rs.2, 55,000 crore through DBT welfare schemes, out of which 70 per cent of the benefit has gone to the SC, ST, BC and minority communities, resulted in their economic empowerment, he said, adding that provision of 50 per cent reservation in the nominated posts has also resulted in their social and political empowerment.
The Chief Minister also laid foundation stone virtually for the Rs. 335crore water works scheme.
Ongole MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, several people’s representatives and senior officials participated in the programme.
Raghurama complains to EC against AP CM
YSR Congress rebel MP K Raghurama Krishnam Raju on Friday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and the State government. He took strong exception to the state government issuing orders to keep two helicopters ready for the use of the chief minister.
The rebel MP said that the chief minister wants to use the helicopters for his election campaign. He said that the chief minister wants to use the helicopters procured at the cost of the state exchequer for his election campaign.
The state government had issued orders on Thursday to keep two helicopters ready for the use of the chief minister. One helicopter would be kept at Vijayawada while the other would be kept at Visakhapatnam. The chief minister has a threat from the Naxalites and hence the helicopters are required for his safety.
The state government said that the chief minister would tour the north Andhra region using the helicopter from Visakhapatnam and the rest of the state from Vijayawada. The government wants to ensure that the chief minister’s security is tightened, and he is safe from any attacks.
The rebel MP said that it was against the election code as the chief minister wants to use the government money for the election campaign. He wanted the Election Commission to look into the issue and ensure that the chief minister does not use the helicopters for his party electioneering.
He also alleged that the chief minister was resorting to several election irregularities. He was also using the government functions to give political speeches, the MP said. The MP wanted; the Election Commission to regulate the chief minister and prevent him from making political statements from the government programmes.
The rebel MP alleged that the chief minister was using the government functions for his political campaign. He cited the example of house sites distribution at Ongole in Prakasam district on Friday. He said that the programme was organised by the government, but the chief minister had given a political speech making it a political meeting.
AP police arrest Congress chief Sharmila
The Andhra Pradesh police on Thursday arrested AP Congress president Y S Sharmila at Andhra Rathna Bhavan, the AP Congress headquarters in Vijayawada. Sharmila condemned the arrest and said that the government was more dictatorial.
The police arrested her when she tried to move out of the Andhra Rathna Bhavan to Secretariat, as part of the Congress Party’s call of Chalo Secretariat seeking mega DSC from the State government. She said that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised to release the job calendar every year and had promised to fill the teacher posts through DSC. However, the job calendar was never released, and the DSC was never conducted, she said.
Sharmila alleged that the government was scared of the Congress. The government had become more dictatorial by arresting the opposition leaders. She wondered why the chief minister is scared of the opposition leaders.
The police have first arrested CWC leader Gidugu Rudra Raju and Sunkara Padmasri. Later, they arrested Sharmila. The police have posted heavy security at Andhra Rathna Bhavan and all the way to Velagapudi secretariat. They have blocked the roads and conducted thorough checks along the road. They prevented the Congress workers from moving on the roads leading to the secretariat.
Earlier, Sharmila slept in the Andhra Rathna Bhavan fearing that she would be arrested by the police. She took a rest in the Andhra Rathna Bhavan and planned to go to Velagapudi. However, the police prevented the Congress leaders from coming out of the party office.
The police have also arrested several Congress leaders and kept some under house arrest. The Congress leaders were not allowed to move on the roads leading to mild clashes between the Congress leaders and the police.
The police also posted several teams in Guntur, Krishna and NTR districts, besides keeping the senior leaders under house arrest in various districts across the state. The party leaders who tried to come out of their homes were also arrested and shifted to the nearest police station.
Earlier in the day, Sharmila sat in protest at the Andhra Rathna Bhavan in Vijayawada. She raised slogans against the state government. She also demanded that the state government take up teacher recruitment through the DSC.
Naidu condemns attacks on media, demands stringent action
Strongly condemning ‘consistent attacks’ on the media, TDP president, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, demanded stringent action against those involved in such attacks.
Chandrababu Naidu also demanded action against Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, for making false statements to provoke hatred and enmity among groups only with the sole aim of instigating violence. “Ever since the YSRCP came to power there have been consistent State-sponsored attacks on the freedom of the Press, on media houses, journalists and photographers,” Chandrababu Naidu said.
He felt that the Go no. 2430 issued in October 2019 is aimed at suppressing the voice which resulted in murders, physical and verbal attacks on journalists across the State. In the run up to the 2024 election, the YSRCP appears to have unleashed a series of attacks on the media in general and journalists in particular, he added.
Recalling the recent attack on a contributor in Amaravathi mandal of Palnadu district on February 14, Chandrababu Naidu said that the crime that the scribe committed was that he exposed the sand mafia involving the YSRCP leaders. Again, within four days, on February 18 a photographer of a popular Telugu daily (Andhra Joythy), was brutally attacked right under the nose of Jagan Mohan Reddy during his political meeting at Rapthadu in Anantapur district, he said adding that regrettably the police remained as mute spectators in both the incidents.
Within two of these incidents having taken place, on Monday, February 20, the YSRCP mob attacked the office of again the most popular Telugu daily (Eenadu), in Kurnool, Chandrababu Naidu mentioned in the letter. A mob led by Panyam MLA and YSRCP leader, K Rambhupal Reddy, pelted the office of the daily with stones and created a situation of fear for almost an hour, he added. On the same day, a reporter of another popular daily (Andhra Jyothy) was physically attacked at Maddikera in Kurnool district when he was on duty covering the YSRCP political meeting, Mr Chandrababu pointed out.
Chandrababu Naidu believes that all these attacks are State sponsored against the freedom of the Press and media and they are not isolated incidents resorted to by the ‘YSRCP goons’ but are instigated by their leader, Jagan Mohan Reddy. Jagan, at a public meeting gestured folding his sleeves and asked his party cadre too to do the same, he said and stated that such acts meant that one is ready for physical bout on their opponents.
This apart, Jagan has been consistently blaming a section of media for his pitfalls and it is already a known fact that Jagan has used the police force to foist false cases against the heads of reputed and respected media houses only to harass them so that they will surrender to him, Chandrababu Naidu stated. It is really unfortunate that Jagan till now did not condemn these attacks and did not care for the life of an innocent photographer who was performing his duty, he noted.
Shamelessly, a former minister justified these attacks and has the audacity to state that the heads of these respected media houses would have been killed had they been in these meetings, the TDP supremo regretted. Strongly condemning what he called the failure of the respective district police to prevent such attacks from taking place and their failure to initiate immediate action against the persons involved in these attacks, Chandrababu Naidu made an appeal to the DGP to nab the culprits immediately and take urgent steps to initiate action against them besides against the conspirators involved behind this heinous crime.
“Also, it is important to initiate action against Jagan Mohan Reddy for making false statements to provoke hatred and enmity among groups to instigate violence,” Chandrababu Naidu said and felt that only a prompt action would ensure that freedom of Press is safeguarded and democratic norms are upheld in the State.
Jagan releases Rs 78 Cr for Shadi Tohfa, Kalyna Mastu
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released Rs. 78.53 crore towards the fifth tranche of YSR Kalyanamasthu and YSR Shaadi Tohfa benefiting 10, 132 girls married during the quarter Oct-Dec 2023.
The amount would be directly credited into the girls’ mothers’ bank accounts. So far, a total of Rs 427.27crore was disbursed to 56,194 beneficiaries under the scheme. Releasing the amount with the click of a button virtually from the camp office at Tadepalli on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said that the scheme aims at encouraging girls from the poor SC, ST, BC, minority communities, construction worker families and the disabled to pursue education at college level.
The Chief Minister said that the Government has made Class X mandatory for the girls and their grooms to become eligible for the scheme and also fixed the marriage age limit for girls and boys as 18 and 21 respectively.
Supported by the welfare schemes like Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena, these conditions help the girls pursue Intermediate and degree courses after completing Class X, he said and added that education is the only weapon that elevates the lives of poor people. If the mother is educated in a household, her children would also pursue education and their future generations would find it easy to follow suit and the Government has been earnestly implementing the scheme.
The newlyweds need not go to the Sub-Registrar’s office to obtain the marriage certificate and they can get the documents from village and ward secretariats. While the TDP government implemented the scheme for name sake and ditched 17,709 girls to the tune of Rs. 68.68crore, the present Government introduced it with good intention and has been implementing it with commitment, he added.
While SC, ST, BC, and Minority beneficiaries got Rs 40,000, Rs 50,000, Rs 35,000, and Rs 50,000 each during TDP rule, the present Government has increased it to Rs 1,00,000, Rs 1,00,000 Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,00,000 respectively. While the differently abled people and construction workers were promised Rs 1,00,000 and Rs 20,000 each in the TDP rule, they have been getting the enhanced benefits of Rs 1,50,000 and Rs. 40,000 respectively now.
Similarly, the incentives for SC, ST, and BC beneficiaries who opted for inter-caste marriage went up to Rs 1,20,000 from Rs 75,000 each, to Rs 1, 20,000 from Rs 75,000 each, and to Rs 75,000 from Rs 50,000 each respectively. Some of the beneficiaries from different districts also spoke virtually and thanked the Chief Minister for implementing the scheme.
If YSRCP is back in power there will be no security for your personal properties too, Lokesh tells people
“If the YSRCP is back in power the party leaders will encroach upon our own houses and agricultural lands,” Nara Lokesh, TDP general secretary, told the people on Monday.
Addressing a huge public gathering at Anakapalle during his ‘Sankharavam’ programme, Lokesh said that a Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO), Ramanaiah, has been inhumanly murdered as he did not cooperate with the YSRCP leaders for land encroachments. “When this is the situation of an MRO, one can easily imagine the condition of a common man,” he said.
Lokesh is of the opinion that the fan (the symbol of the YSRCP) is useful only for the farmers and the youth to commit suicides. The State stood in third position in farmers suicides and second in tenant farmners taking away their lives, he said with a deep concern. The youth are feeling frustrated as they are not getting jobs for the past five years, he said. At least 35,000 people hanged themselves to death to the fan due to harassment during the YSRCP rule in these five years, he remarked.
Lokesh dared Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, to come for an open debate on the ‘Nava Ratnalu’ scheme and said that Jagan who promised nine-hour uninterrupted power supply to farmers is not giving even for four hours. Asserting that own sister and mother are not trusting Jagan and they are seeking security as they are feeling threats from him, Lokesh asked how the common man can repose faith in him.
Jagan is saying that he is folding his shirt but the people are ready to fold his chair, he remarked. Why the power charges have been hiked so many times in these five years, he asked and said that the 100 welfare schemes that were implemented by the TDP regime were withdrawn. Lokesh promised to revive all these schemes by the coming TDP-Jana Sena government.
Maintaining that it is the TDP that has introduced welfare for the people of the State, Lokesh recalled the schemes implemented by the TDP government’s earlier, including in the combined Andhra Pradesh. “The coming TDP-Jana Sena government too will implement all the schemes that have been announced, including the Super-Six,” he added.
Recalling how the TDP has developed Anakapalle, including providing basic amenities like laying of roads, Lokesh said and asked the YSRCP Government whether jobs are provided to even a single person in the past five years. The TDP general secretary feels that even in the name of ‘one cent’ land scheme, the ruling party leaders amassed thousands of crores and suspected land pooling in binami names.
“Elect the candidates supported by the TDP and the Jana Sena the entire area will get a total transformation and the sugar factories will be reopened to provide employment to locals. Also, all the promises made to you will be implemented, including resolving the drinking water problem and the irrigation issues,” Lokesh said.
Realerting the TDP and the Jana Sena activists that a Paytm batch is trying to create deep differences among them, Lokesh cautioned them to be alert and told them that ‘Our sole aim is bye bye YSRCP’. He asked them to reach everyone and brief them on the Super-Six to bring awareness among the.
Target clean sweep, says Jagan
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy called upon the cadre to go whole hog and work as a full-fledged army to make a clean sweep in the forthcoming elections.
Addressing the third version of the ‘Siddham’ public meeting of Party cadre here on Sunday, the Chief Minister described the forthcoming elections as the battle between locals led by YSRCP and non-resident Andhras led by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and his foster son.
He called upon the cadre not to forget that our target is 175 assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats and added that the cadre should work hard in the next two months to thwart the evil designs of the TDP and its friendly media by posting another historic win.
The meeting was attended by lakhs of YSRCP activists from 52 assembly constituencies of four districts of Rayalaseema and the gathering is rated as the first ever highly attended public meeting in the region’s history.
After fulfilling 99 per cent of the election promises, there is no question of falling below the target, he said, pointing out that the forthcoming elections are very important for people of the State.
On behalf of the poor, YSRCP is waging a war with feudalistic forces led by Naidu, his foster son and their friendly media, he said, adding that it is certain that the TDP will disappear after the elections as YSRCP is poised to achieve its target.
The Chief Minister asked them to become his star campaigners and also turn the people into star campaigners by creating awareness among the farmers, women and other sections of society on the need to continue the welfare schemes by voting YSRCP to power.
He asked the Party cadre to remind people that ‘fan’ should always be kept in the house while the ‘cycle’ and ‘tea glass’ should be kept out of the house and in the sink respectively.
It is not just about electing the MLAs and MPs but the battle is about defeating the feudalistic forces led by TDP and its allies and a vote for the opposition would result in the loss of welfare schemes.
Despite working for 14 years as Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu can’t speak of single welfare scheme that benefitted people while the Jagan mark is tangible in every house and village from Kuppam to Ichhapuram in education, health and medical and educational sectors.
If the TDP thinks YSRCP has not done any good to the people, why Chandrababu Naidu is hankering after alliances to push the ‘cycle’ ahead, he questioned, adding that Naidu is seeking the direct and indirect support of other regional and national parties for political survival.
Stating that he had clicked the button 125 times to disburse a whopping Rs 2, 55, 000 crore through DBT for welfare schemes for the sake of the people, the Chief Minister asked the cadre to tell people to press two buttons for the YSRCP, one for the Assembly and the other for the Lok Sabha in the ensuing elections.
The Chief Minister asked the people to choose between Jagan who has stood by the election manifesto in letter and spirit and fulfilled 99 per cent of the promises and Chandrababu Naidu who took every section of society for a ride throwing it into dustbin after the 2014 elections.
He further observed that the ensuing elections is a war between YSRCP’s credibility and TDP’s deception and called upon the people to be wary that a vote for the TDP and its allies would distance away the fruits of social justice from the people.
Jagan’s politics filled with corruption, black money, says Naidu
Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, is resorting to politics with the black money earned through corruption and illegal activities, remarked TDP supremo, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on Saturday.
Addressing an immense gathering at a public meeting at Inkollu of Parchur Assembly segment in Bapatla district as part of the ‘Raa Kadali Raa’ programme, Chandrababu Naidu felt that the countdown for Mr Jagan has already begun. Stating that Jagan has totally polluted politics, Chandrababu Naidu expressed confidence that just after 52 days, the TDP-Jana Sena government will be in place.
Maintaining that Jagan is not getting even candidates to contest the polls, the TDP supremo stated that now his slogan is ‘Why not Pulivendula’. Chandrababu Naidu told Jagan not to resort to cheap politics but learn to do it in an ethical and dignified manner.
The former chief minister advised the police officials to strictly follow the rules and if they try to violate the law they will have to face the consequences. “If you carry this Government which is on its way out you will have to pay the price,” he said. Pointing out that the police officials tried to create obstructions to the TDP meeting, he asked the local District Superintendent of Police (SP) as to how he can create such obstacles without going into what is mentioned in the notice. “We are strictly following the norms and if anyone tries to cause such obstacles we will not spare them,” he said.
Observing that the people are ready to send Jagan home, Chandrababu Naidu said that the victory of the TDP-Jana Sena is already confirmed much before the polls. Noting that the local YSRCP leaders are harassing the granite businessmen in Parchur Assembly segment, Chandrababu Naidu said that even the officials of the Mining department have joined hands with the YSRCP leaders to threaten these businessmen.
Addanki MLA, Gottipati Ravi Kumar, is imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 cr, the TDP supremo said that he and Jana Sena chief, Pawan Kalyan, too are the victims of this YSRCP Government. The RTC and the power charges have been hiked as Jagan has been pressing the button, he remarked and said that taxes are being imposed even on water and property. Why Jagan not pressing the button for job calendar and total prohibition, he asked.
Chandrababu Naidu feels that behind every scheme that Jagan introduces there is a scam. “I have never seen in my political life such robbery of the State,” he said. Maintaining that the YSRCP leaders are now giving a new slogan on the fourth capital, the TDP supremo asked how Jagan, who on record admitted on the floor of the Assembly that Amaravati is to be the capital, can take the three capitals slogan. “Now these YSRCP leaders are saying Hyderabad as the fourth capital,” he added.
Regretting that the YSRCP Government has stalled the development of Amaravati, he said that the result is that the youth lost employment opportunities. “Had Amaravati been completed the condition of the State would have been totally different,” he felt.
Chandrababu Naidu said that he had differed with the BJP earlier only in the interest of the people and the State and stated that Jagan’s present condition is that he is not in a position to accept the assistance even if the Centre comes forward to extend it. Why Jagan is remaining silent on the special category status issue to the State, Chandrababu Naidu asked.
It’s TDP which transformed Vizag as City of Destiny, says Lokesh
Visakhapatnam which was once known as the economic capital of Andhra Pradesh and the city has been transformed as City of Destiny during the TDP regime, said Nara Lokesh, TDP general secretary, on Saturday.
Visakhapatnam was the job capital of India during Chandrababu Naidu’s regime but now it turned into ganja capital, said Mr Lokesh while addressing a public meeting at Vepagunta in Pendurthy Assembly segment of Visakhapatnam district during his ‘Sankharavam’ programme. Vizag was the most happening city when the TDP was ruling the State but now it has become the most miserable city, Lokesh stated.
When Chandrababu Naidu was the chief minister of the State, he strived hard to set up several Information technology companies in this city and also units established by the Adanis like Adani Data Centre and AM Teaser which manufactures medical devices after the YSRCP came to power the local leaders are focussing only on encroaching lands, kidnaps and looting besides illegally occupying the tanks, Lokesh said. Before the 2019 elections, the YSRCP leaders trumpeted on Nava Ratnas but after coming to power they made it as Nava Mosalu (nine defrauds), he remarked.
Recalling the recent call given by Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, for his party workers asking them to get ready to fold their shirts, Lokesh said “When I said that my party activists are also getting ready for folding the chairs, a Minister in the State Cabinet, Ambati Rambabu, said that it is not chair but a throne. I am now telling you that our people are ready to dethrone Jagan,” he remarked.
Stating that Jagan has not implemented even a single promise made to the people like granting of monthly pension for SC, ST, BC and minority women after they cross 45 years of age, and announcing job calendar every year and filling of all vacant posts in different government wings, Lokesh said that learning about the problems being faced by different sections the TDP supremo, Chandrababu, has announced the Super-Six. The Super-Six has been announced to chase out the psycho rule, to solve the problems being faced by women, he said.
Observing that Jagan is making a mockery of the Super-Six, Lokesh said that the Almighty has already made the draft ready for dethroning Jagan. The YSRCP is not getting even candidates to contest the polls and this clearly indicates the future of this party, he added. A leader from the neighbouring district has been asked to contest from Visakhapatnam while Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, who is known for various things, is the candidate from Ongole Lok Sabha constituency, he said.
Anil Kumar Yadav, who is rejected by the Nellore voters, is being fielded from Narasaraopet while Ambati Rayudu, who has been asked to contest from Guntur has run away from the YSRCP and this party is not getting candidates for 75 of the 175 Assembly segments, he stated. Before the last Assembly elections, Jagan has said that BCs are his backbone but now several innocent persons from the BC community are mercilessly being murdered and the bodies being door-delivered, he said.
Narrating several such incidents, Lokesh felt that Jagan is scared of him. “When I was on my Yuva Galam pada yatra, GO Number One was brought in and mike was snatched from me. But I made it amply clear that there is no question of giving in,” he said. Maintaining that attempts are being made to arrest him as he is exhibiting the red book at every meeting, Lokesh said that he never moves behind curtains.
Flatly denying the statements that if the TDP is back in power the volunteer system will be wound up, Lokesh clarified that in fact, the party is planning to strengthen the system. It is the TDP that introduced various welfare schemes like Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme by the Late NT Rama Rao and Deepam, Pasupu Kunkuma and Chandranna Bheema by Chandrababu Naidu, he added.
YSRCP MP, Vijaysai Reddy, has completely looted Visakhapatnam city and this Government is taking away every rupee generated by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), he said. This Government has stooped so low that even the 1500 PhD posts in Andhra University too are sold for a premium and the Rs 200 cr University Grants Commission (UGC) grant too is looted, he said.
When the Hud Hud cyclone hit this area, Chandrababu Naidu, in his capacity as the chief minister, rushed here even neglecting his own family members, he said that Chandrababu did not spend even 10 minutes at a function celebrated at home during that time, he recalled. Making it clear that the coming TDP-Jana Sena government will implement all the promises made to them till now, Lokesh called upon the people to elect the alliance candidate to enable the upcoming TDP-Jana Sena regime to implement them.
No rule of law in State: Atchen Naidu
TDP State unit president, Kinjerapu Atchen Naidu, on Saturday felt that there is no rule of law in the State.
When the Opposition parties, employees’ unions and people’s associations want to organise public meetings in a peaceful manner, they are denied permissions while the meetings being addressed by the ruling YSRCP are accorded permissions on high-priority basis overnight which is highly undemocratic, Atchen Naidu said in a press note released here. Besides denying permission for the meetings being organised by the Opposition parties the leaders of these parties are being illegally arrested, detained and are being confined to house-arrests while the YSRCP leaders are being granted permissions within minutes, he said.
How permissions can be granted in the name of ‘Aasara’ and Siddham’ which are causing great inconvenience to the public and huge traffic jams, Atchen Naidu said in the press note and felt that there is now rule of law in the State. How permission can be granted for the YSRCP public meeting being organised along the national highway in Raptadu, the TDP State unit president asked.
A week before this meeting curbs have been imposed in the area, he said and pointed out that the meeting is being organised on February 18 while restrictions have been imposed in the area since February 11.
When the TDP wanted to hold public meetings, permission was denied by the officials concerned but the YSRCP meetings are being granted permission on a war footing basis, Atchen Naidu stated. The TDP State president is of the opinion that the countdown has already begun for the YSRCP.
Real show for Jagan has begun now, feels Naidu
The real show for Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, has now begun, felt TDP supremo, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on Friday.
In his Twitter message, Chandrababu felt that as the Chief Minister of the State Jagan has adopted a vengeful attitude towards an area, particularly against the capital city of Amaravathi, and totally destroyed the area. Observing that this is a historical misery, Chandrababu in his Twitter message felt that Jagan has instigated communal hatred for his personal gains and resorted to mispropaganda.
Observing that misusing the official machinery, Jagan has completely defaced several agitations and resorted to violence against those who participated in the agitations, he said that the film ‘Rajadhani Files’ totally reflected these facts. The capital city has fallen victim to the conspiracies hatched by Jagan and the cruel mentality of the YSRCP leaders and the ‘Rajadhani Files’ clearly and perfectly projected all this.
“This is the reason as to why Jagan has made every effort to stop the screening of this movie but the court has successfully checked his game plan and sanctioned permission for screening” he said.
Chandrababu Naidu, through his Twitter message, called upon the Telugus across the globe to watch the movie in theatres to know the ground reality.
AP govt signs MoU with edX for online courses to govt school students
AP State government signed MoU with the edX, a leading global E-learning platform that conducts Massive Open Online Courses enabling over 12 lakh students in the State pick and pursue their chosen verticals from more than 2000 modern and emerging courses free of cost.
The MoU was signed by Higher Education department officials and edX founder Anant Agarwal in the presence of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at the Tadepalli camp office on Friday. The programme was virtually witnessed by the Vice-Chancellors and students of 26 universities, across the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy reaffirmed that quality education only can make our students globally competitive and fetch them high-end salaried jobs in top-notch companies.
Right to education is old slogan but the right to quality education is the present-day necessity, he said, adding that the MoU incorporates a golden chapter in the history of education in Andhra Pradesh as it helps our students get international joint certification from edX and Harvard, MIT, Oxford, Cambridge Universities, and other world educational institutions.
Asserting that the competition of our students is not just with those in other states in the country but with the students across the world, he said adding that world-standard education only can give a bright future for them.
MoU with the edX is only a beginning and it may take four to five years to give its results, but we have to make a beginning somewhere, he said, pointing out that steps are being taken to transform the educational system from the elementary stage to higher education level.
In every part of our educational reforms beginning with introduction of English Medium schools to filling of teaching faculty vacancies to introducing podcasts to getting NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) affiliation to 180 educational institutions to the signing of MoU with edX, Government has been working with dedication as it strongly feels that investment in human resources is one of our key priority sectors, he said.
Following the MoU, students would be able to learn locally unavailable courses like Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, data sciences, real estate management, cyber forensic, stock exchange, wealth and risk management and other modern verticals.
We have also signed MoU with the IB (International Baccalaureate) to introduce IB curriculum for the students of class I from the academic year 2025-26 in Government schools and teachers would undergo training from next academic year, he said, adding that the journey of reforms to make our students globally competitive will continue.
Disclosing that Padmavati University has introduced full-fledged courses in AI, computer vision and meta verse learning, the Chief Minister asked the Vice-Chancellors of other Universities to follow suit and introduce modern courses in augmented technology and 3D learning and improve the online learning capabilities of students.
Chief Minister Jagan gives away volunteers’ awards
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy formally gave away Seva Mitra, Seva Ratna and Seva Vajra awards to the best village and ward secretariat volunteers.
Addressing the gathering at Phirangipuram on Thursday, the Chief Minister saluted them saying they are his young army that has been extending selfless service with unflinching commitment and delivering welfare benefits of various schemes transparently to the beneficiaries since 2019.
“While the corrupt Janma Bhoomi Committees during the TDP rule exploited people seeking bribes for releasing monthly social pensions and benefits of other welfare schemes besides working with nepotism and bias, you are extending selfless service to the poor as my brand ambassadors and future leaders though working for meagre sum,” he said.
Describing the Janma Bhoomi committees as ganja plants that destroyed the system, he said that the biased and corrupt policies of the TDP rule ensued its defeat in the 2019 elections.
In contrast, the volunteers, working like tulasi plants, have revolutionised the delivery system of welfare benefits replacing the corrupt system with a transparent and unbiased way, he said, adding that volunteers will play key role in YSRCP victory in the forthcoming elections,
“With your cooperation and dedicated service only, Government has been able to distribute funds worth Rs.2, 55,000crore through DBT welfare schemes and Rs. 1,07,000crore (Rs. 1, 76,000crore including the house site pattas) through non-DBT schemes in the last 58 months despite Covid-19 blues and reduced revenues from the Centre,” he said.
He urged the volunteers to campaign about the false and misleading election promises of TDP and its allies and spread the message that a vote for the opposition would wind up the welfare schemes.
TDP manifesto, full of false promises, is a mixed version of the election manifesto of other parties, and is likely to be thrown into the dustbin post-elections. The YSRCP election manifesto took birth from the sweat and aspirations of the people, he said, adding that the last 58 months have proved its commitment towards it.
“Being my confidants, you have ensured the delivery of welfare benefits at the doorstep of people all these months and have changed the gamut of village administration, You have also become responsible for the YSRCP victory in all local bodies and by-elections after 2019. I am sure you will pave the way for its victory in the 2024 elections also with your selfless service,” he told them.
Describing the volunteer system as the backbone of the welfare programmes, he said the entire country has been observing its functioning with inspiration.
The Chief Minister asked the volunteers to become his star campaigners and also turn the people into another set of YSRCP star campaigners for bringing victory to it while thwarting the vicious and malicious propaganda of the jealous TDP and its friendly media.
“TDP is working with the support of foster son, its fully biased-friendly media and with the direct and indirect support of national parties while I am depending on you and God,” he said.
In response to the MLA Sucharita’s appeal, the Chief Minister sanctioned Rs. 39 crore for constructing ghat road to the Carmel Matha shrine on Phirangipuram Hill.
He also said that as per her request, the special monthly pension for the 17,000 families affected in the Capital region would be enhanced from Rs. 2500 to Rs. 5000 from next month onwards.
Cash Awards
Government will distribute Rs. 392.05crore as cash awards to 2,55, 464 volunteers as a token of appreciation for rendering yeoman service in extending the benefits of various welfare programmes to the people at their doorstep. The felicitation programme will continue for seven days across the State in a festive atmosphere.
Under the programme implemented for the fourth consecutive year, a certificate, shawl and badge along with a cash prize of Rs.15,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 45,000 are presented to the Seva Mitra, Seva Ratna and Seva Vajra volunteers while medals are also given to the best volunteers of the last two categories.
During the last three years, cash prizes of Rs.10,000, Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 30,000 were presented to the Seva Mitra, Seva Ratna and Seva Vajra volunteers while the prize amounts were increased by Rs. 5000, Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000 respectively in the fourth year.
While 2, 50, 439 volunteers are selected for the Seva Mitra awards, Seva Ratna and Seva Vajra awards would be presented to 4,150 and 875 volunteers respectively.
Apart from felicitating the meritorious volunteers, Government will also award special cash prizes of Rs.15,000, Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 25,000 each at Mandal (or Municipality or Corporation), constituency and district level respectively to 997 volunteers who have displayed extraordinary talents in collecting the opinion of beneficiaries of the YSR Pension Kanuka, Aasara and others welfare schemes.
This poor condition of roads reflect dirty rule of Jagan, says Lokesh
On passing through the road from Palakonda to Kurupam in Srikakulam district on Tuesday to take part in the ongoing ‘Sankharavam’ programme, TDP general secretary, Nara Lokesh, said that this poor condition of roads clearly reflect the dirty rule of Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Later, in a press note released on the bad condition of the roads in the State Lokesh said “when I inquired from the local people there they said that the contractor left the works half-finished as the State Government did not pay his bills.” At least Rs 1.8 lakh cr dues are to be cleared for the contractors who completed their works in various parts of the State and thus they are refusing to complete even the works which are still pending, Lokesh said.
Lokesh said that the ruling party leaders are interested only in looting the State rather than development. What else is needed which clearly reflects the dirty rule of Jagan, the TDP general secretary said in the press note.
YSRCP MPs themselves are not willing to face Jagan, says Lokesh
Extending thanks to the yellow army for carrying the TDP flag for the past several years, party general secretary Nara Lokesh, said on Monday that even the ruling YSRCP Members of Parliament (MPs) are avoiding meeting Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“The ruling party MPs and MLAs are strongly believing that the time of Jagan is over,” Lokesh said addressing the massive public meeting at Narasannapet of Srikakulam district as part of the ‘Sankharavam’ programme for the second consecutive day on Monday. Observing that the huge public response clearly indicates that the people are ready to defeat the YSRCP in the coming elections, Lokesh said that when Jagan visited New Delhi recently of the 31 party MPs only six were present and this reflects the fact that they are ready to bid goodbye to Jagan.
Since the government employees too are unhappy as the promise made to them on the revocation of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) within a week of coming to power is not fulfilled yet, they are also ready to send Jagan home, he remarked. “Now Jagan has introduced a new scheme in which sitting MLAs are being shifted to other segments. How the leaders who are unfit for the segment that they are representing now will be fit for the other constituencies,” Lokesh asked and felt that by transferring the sitting MLAs Jagan had indirectly admitted his defeat.
Stating that Mr Jagan is responsible for the murder of his paternal uncle by his own cousin and MP, Avinash Reddy, the TDP national general secretary believed that Jagan too will have to go to jail in a couple of months. “Before the 2019 elections, Jagan has blamed the TDP supremo, Chandrababu Naidu, for the murder of his paternal uncle but in the chargesheet Avinash Reddy’s name is found. In a couple of days Jagan’s name will also be included in the chargesheet,” Lokesh remarked.
Pointing out that the liquor prices are very heavy in the State, Lokesh said that Jagan is simply squeezing the blood of the people and collecting large amounts of money from the public in the shape of ‘J’ tax. “Through the sale of liquor alone, Jagan has made Rs 45,000 cr in the past five years, at the rate of Rs 9,000 cr per annum,” he said. This apart, taxes are levied heavily on the common man in the form of power charges, RTC fares and fuel charges, Lokesh added.
It was the late NT Rama Rao, the founder of the TDP, who introduced welfare schemes for the people of Andhra Pradesh, he said and pointed out that NT Rama Rao, as the chief minister of the State ensured that the people were supplied rice at Rs 2 a kg. Chandrababu Naidu, who succeeded NT Rama Rao, not only continued these welfare schemes but also introduced several other programmes, he stated.
But this Government has discontinued all such schemes which are beneficial for the common man and on the other hand simply robs the people in the shape of huge taxes and high prices. “I have personally come to know the problems of the people through my Yuva Galam pada yatra,” Lokesh said and stated that after his pada yatra he has come to the conclusion that it is the TDP-Jana Sena combine that is going to form the coming government.
Assuring the people that 20 lakh jobs will be provided to the youth in the coming five years, Lokesh also asserted that all the schemes mentioned earlier will be implemented in letter and spirit. Lokesh said that the TDP will strongly oppose the move to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and stated that if necessary the coming TDP-Jana Sena government will take over the plant.
Recalling how the TDP government had developed the North Andhra region, including Srikakulam district, Lokesh asked whether this Government had initiated a single measure for the progress of the region. Calling upon both the TDP and the Jana Sena activists to work unitedly for the victory of the combine in the upcoming polls, Lokesh announced that he will personally take the responsibility of the activists of both the parties to see to it that they will overcome any kind of trouble that they face.
Plan to amass Rs 120 cr under book printing tenders scam, says Pattabhi
The schemes of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to loot the State has been continuing in all sectors and the printing of books for school children is no exception, said TDP spokesman, Kommareddy Pattabhiram.
Pattabhiram brought before the media all the evidence about how Jagan and his coterie robbed the State in the name of printing the books for the school children. There are no exceptions to loot appears to be the policy of Jagan, the TDP national spokesman remarked. The Chief Minister should feel ashamed to mint such a huge amount of money through printing of the books of school children while campaigning that the State stood on top in the country in the academic system, he added.
Perhaps Jagan Reddy is the only Chief Minister in the whole country who is amassing wealth in the guise of school students’ books, he felt. The Chief Minister is destroying the academic sector too like other systems, Pattabhi said and stated that the teachers are humiliated by asking them to stand before liquor shops. The salaries of the teachers are not paid properly, he said.
Pattabhiram felt that the YSRCP is a sinking ship, and the party leaders too are aware of this fact due to which they are not coming forward to contest the upcoming polls. This is the reason as to why five family members of Minister for Education, Botsa Satyanarayana, are offered party tickets, he said and stated that when the Minister made it clear that he cannot bear the expenditure for five segments Jagan has thus raised the curtains for this book printing scam to make at least Rs 100 cr to Rs 120 cr.
Pattabhiram pointed out that when the paper cost was Rs 1 lakh per tonne in 2022, the printing cost for each page was fixed at only 23 paise but now when the cost of the paper has come down drastically the printing cost has been escalated to 34.2 paise per page. The earlier practice was that the government was purchasing the paper and supplying it to the printing press for publishing the books, but the Jagan Government has done away with this policy, he added. Is Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, not aware that the paper is available in the market for a much lesser price, he asked.
The State Government has totally ignored when the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Paper Limited and the AP Offset Printing Association have mentioned at the judicial review that the cost of the paper has come down in the open market and that the Government is incurring crores of rupees through e-tender, he said. Changing the policy is nothing but raising curtains for a massive scam, Pattabhiram said and felt that besides Botsa Satyanaraya, Principal Secretary (Education), Praveen Prakash, and Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dhanujay Reddy, have played a major role in this huge scandal.
Pattabhiram said that the TDP demands that the tender be cancelled immediately, and the Government purchases the paper in the open market to take up the printing of the text books on its own.
India Today survey gives 17 Lok Sabha seats to TDP
A survey conducted by the Indian Today, a national news magazine and television channel had given 17 Lok Sabha seats to the opposition TDP in the coming general elections in Andhra Pradesh. The survey said that the TDP will get 45 per cent of vote share in the coming elections.
The India Today conducted the survey in the name of Mood of the Nation. It took several samples across the state and found that the opposition TDP is ahead of the ruling YSR Congress in the state. People are in favour of voting for the TDP in the coming elections, the survey said.
The survey also said that the ruling YSR Congress would get just 8 Parliament seats with 41 per cent vote share. The YSR Congress had lost its support from the people due to corruption and other issues, the survey said.
The TDP was reduced to just 3 Parliament seats in the 2019 general election. It secured 23 Assembly seats, while the ruling YSR Congress secured 151 Assembly seats and 22 Parliament seats. Some surveys say that the ruling YSR Congress would retain power, the India Today’s Mood of the Nation survey found that the TDP is coming back to power in Andhra Pradesh.
In the neighbouring Telangana state, the survey said that the ruling Congress would win 10 parliament seats. The BJP and the BRS would win three seats each while the AIMIM would win one seat. It would be a gain for the ruling Congress in Telangana to win 10 seats. This would be 7 seats more to the Congress from the 2019 general election.
The Congress which had won the 2023 general election is set to capture more Parliament seats in the election. The Congress Party’s popularity is still intact in Telangana as it had started rolling out the popular schemes and implementing the election promises.
We observed fiscal discipline despite constraints, says Jagan
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy stated that Government had implemented welfare schemes and took up development activities with financial discipline despite adverse situations like Covid, inheriting strained and complex status from the previous TDP rule and he pooh-poohed Chandrababu Naidu’s tall promises ahead of elections as the Opposition leader carries the blemish of dumping manifesto into dustbin while YSRCP treats it as a holy book.
Replying to the discussion on the Motion of thanks to Governor’s address in the Assembly here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister also dismissed the charges that Government has made State debt-ridden and said that the State had rolled out DBT welfare schemes worth Rs 2,55,000 crore and non-DBT welfare schemes worth Rs. 1,07,000 crores. The previous government too had the same budget, but it could not deliver welfare as the difference speaks in the commitment of the Chief Ministers then and now.
He said that the debt of the residual Andhra Pradesh which stood at Rs 1,53,000 crore including all types of loans at the time of bifurcation had gone up to Rs 4,12,288 crore in 2019 when YSRCP came to power.
Now, the total debt stands at Rs 7,03,000 crore and it clearly indicates that the growth rate of debt during the TDP rule stood at 21.87 per cent, it stands at 12.13 per cent during the last 5 years, he said, adding that not even a single welfare scheme was implemented during the TDP rule though the budget was the same and the debt-growth rate was higher.
Braving the odds of reduction in devolution of Central funds and reduced tax revenues during the last five years due to several reasons including the Covid-19 pandemic that resulted in Rs 66,116 crore revenue loss, Government has excelled in fiscal discipline, debt management, planning and implementation of slew of welfare schemes transparently.
The Chief Minister recalled that the state was bifurcated in an unjust manner allocating 50 per cent of the revenues to Telangana that represented 42 per cent of the population and the remaining 50 per cent to residual Andhra Pradesh that has 58 per cent population putting the State to a yearly revenue loss of Rs 13,000 crore.
Coming down heavily against the TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu for making false election promises for political gains, he said that Government needs to spend around more than Rs. 1, 26,000crore annually for fulfilling them.
When we are striving hard to implement DBT and non-DBT welfare schemes worth around Rs. 70,000 crores annually, how can Chandrababu Naidu mobilize Rs. 1, 26,000crore on his false promises, he questioned.
Like a copycat, Naidu made mix of six election promises at will and pleasure picking them up from the election manifestoes of other parties that won in other states with a view to cheat the people again, the Chief Minister said.
Debunking the theory of wealth creation advocated by the TDP friendly media for implementing the impracticable promises, the Chief Minister asked why Naidu failed in creating wealth during his earlier tenures.
While Chandrababu Naidu stands for lies, this Government stands for credibility, he said, adding that the TDP was shown the door in 2019 with just 23 seats as people understood his nature of telling lies and cheating the people.
Asserting that Naidu only pursued the policy of plunder, stash and devour during his rule, the Chief Minister appealed to the people to think over why Naidu failed to implement even a single welfare scheme during his rule while the budget was the same.
Like the old hungry tiger, Naidu has been throwing the bait to the people with false promises to cheat them once again, he said, adding that people still remember how Naidu defaulted on the loan waiver Rs. 87,612 crore.
“I sat in the Opposition for five years for not making the false promise of farm loan waiver prior to 2014 elections but I have no regrets for that. I make only promises that can be fulfilled for the benefit of the people,” he said, asserting that YSRCP won a permanent place in the hearts of the people with its credibility.
Despite the heavy financial odds, we have implemented more than 99 per cent of our election promises, and our credibility will ensure that YSRCP will clean sweep the elections and introduce the full-fledged budget in the Assembly after three months, the Chief Minister asserted.
