Selfie challenge for TDP-time betrayals? YS Jagan rebukes Chandrababu Naidu

MARKAPURAM: Debunking TDP President Chandrababu Naidu’s selfie challenge as a publicity stunt, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Wednesday said that Naidu had no locus standi and morality to pose for selfies, throw political challenges and paste his party’s stickers at households.

Addressing a public meeting after releasing Rs 658.60 crores towards the second tranche of YSR EBC Nestham scheme, he ridiculed Naidu for posing for selfies before the TIDCO houses being constructed by the YSRCP Government. He asked the TDP President if he was posing for selfies and throwing challenges for simply cheating people with corrupt Janma Bhoomi committees and for foisting false cases against Minorities during his rule.

“Is it for betraying people on the waiver of DWCRA loans, Sunna Vaddi (zero interest) loans and Rythu Bharosa pursuing the policy of plunder, stash and devour (dochuko panchuko tinuko) with the support of your friendly media and your ‘foster son’ between 2014 and 2019?” he asked Naidu. YS Jagan said that his Government had distributed through DBT a whopping Rs 2,07,000 crore in the last 45 months to lakhs of beneficiaries with full transparency and asked the people to question the TDP President on why he was unable to distribute the funds during his rule.

“Are you posing for selfies and throwing challenges just because you had diverted the funds that should have gone to the people?,” he asked Naidu, urging the people to see the difference between the TDP rule and his YSRCP government.

He appealed to the people not to believe the false propaganda being spread by the TDP and its friendly media besides Naidu’s ‘foster son’ (datta putrudu), saying that the opposition parties had no moral right to go to the people posing for selfies and pasting party stickers.

“While the TDP had thrown its 600-page election manifesto into the dustbin, the present Government considered its party manifesto as Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran and has been implementing its promises with unflinching commitment for people’s welfare.” the Chief Minister asserted.

Pointing out that the opposition would stage more dramas and spread fake news in future with the support of its friendly media, YS Jagan asked the people not to fall prey to such political gimmickry.

“You are only my strength and I depend on you and God. I call upon you to go by the yardstick of the welfare benefits you have received and become the soldiers of the party and work for its victory in the next elections,” he urged the people.

On local MLA's request, the Chief Minister gave his go-ahead for the construction of Ambedkar and BC Bhavans at Markapuram besides sanctioning funds for drainage works at Podili. He also sanctioned Rs 2 crore for constructing a Shadi Khana in the town and Rs 50 crores for laying the 17-km pipeline for augmenting drinking water supply from NSP Canal. He also laid foundation stones in virtual mode for some of these works.

Lauding the farmers who sacrificed 13 acres of their land for the construction of a medical college, the Chief Minister agreed to release Rs 3 lakh each towards their development. He said that efforts were on to complete the second tunnel of the Veligonda Project by September next and inaugurate it in October.

Markapuram MLA K Nagarjuna Reddy, BC Welfare Minister Ch. Venugopala Krishna and District Collector Dinesh Kumar also spoke. Kasula Venkata Aruna, one of the beneficiaries of YSR EBC Nestham, also spoke thanking the Chief Minister for implementing various welfare schemes.

Releases Rs 658 cr YSR EBC Nestham funds

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released Rs.658.60 crore towards the second tranche of YSR EBC Nestham. The latest transfer of funds will benefit 4,39,068 poor women belonging to Reddy, Kamma, Aryavaishya, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Velama and other OC communities across the State. The amount would be directly credited into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries aged between 45 to 60 years to help them set up their own business units and attain economic empowerment. The Chief Minister saluted the women saying that the life story of each household woman was as great and inspiring as that of a legend as they strove for the welfare of their family overcoming many obstacles in domestic life.

Under the YSR EBC Nestham, the State Government would extend Rs 15,000 each per annum for three years to make them self-reliant and turn entrepreneurs. The scheme, which is not part of the YSRCP election manifesto, was introduced by the Chief Minister with a view to extending a helping hand to the poor women of the OC communities.

The Government has so far released Rs 1,257.04 crore under the YSR EBC Nestham, crediting Rs 30,000 to every beneficiary in the two tranches.

Aiming at economic, political and social empowerment of the women, the State Government has been implementing a slew of welfare schemes like YSR Sampoorna Poshana, YSR Kalyanamasthu and Shadi Tohfa, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Videshi Vidya Deevena, YSR Aasara, YSR Cheyutha, YSR Kapu Nestham, YSR EBC Nestham and many others in an unprecedented way, he said. The Government has been working towards the all-round development of women in the right earnest, he added.

So far, 30 lakh house sites were distributed to women across the State and 20 lakh houses are under construction, YS Jagan said, adding that the Government had also cleared DWCRA bank loans to the tune of Rs 19,178 crores out of a total of Rs 25,570 crore kept pending by the TDP rule.

“Besides enacting a law to allot 50 per cent of the nominated posts and contracts to the women, the Government has spent Rs 1,42,000 crore for their welfare out of a total expenditure of Rs 2,07,000 crores incurred on various welfare schemes in the last 45 months. This was done to ensure the emergence of the 21st century modern women of India from our households in the State,” he said.