YSRCP govt spent Rs 1.63 lakh cr for BCs, 2024 last elections for Naidu: YS Jagan

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Wednesday said that he was proud of his government's achievement in revolutionising the empowerment of the Backward Classes (BCs) and other downtrodden sections. YS Jagan announced that his government had spent about Rs 1.63 lakh crores in the last three and a half years for the welfare of the BCs under various schemes. Claiming that 2024 would be the last elections for TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, he announced that a holy war was on the cards in about 18 months between politics of credibility and betrayal.

Addressing the Jayaho BC Maha Sabha organised by his YSRCP at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada, YS Jagan almost sounded an early poll bugle and used the BC event plank to fully gear up the party for the electoral battle. Using statistical testimonials in fine detail in his one-and-a-half-hour-long speech, he gave a detailed account of his government's achievements in the last three and a half years besides peppering it with taunts against Chandrababu Naidu, his friendly media and his 'dattaputrudu' Pawan Kalyan of Jana Sena.

YS Jagan said that the participation of about 85,000 BC representatives, enjoying positions at multiple levels, was a proof in itself of his government's rapid strides in ensuring the empowerment of the downtrodden in five layers. He alleged that Chandrababu Naidu, during the previous TDP regime between 2014-19, betrayed BCs and other marginalised sections with about 114 false promises and even ill-treated them in public. To reverse this regressive trend, he had announced in his Eluru Declaration during a BC Garjana sabha in 2019 that he would transform these communities from being called weaker sections to the 'backbone' communities of the society.

YS Jagan said that, with the multitude of reforms and revolution brought about by his government in the form of a basket of welfare schemes, they were able to initiate irreversible measures towards ensuring a five-tier empowerment of BCs and other weaker sections. His government was able to foster a regime of social justice by guaranteeing fiscal, political, social, women-centric and educational empowerment of these communities.

The Chief Minister said that, on the political front, his government made pioneering moves by giving a lion's share of seats, positions and opportunities to BCs and other weaker sections. He said that it started right from representation in his State Cabinet, to Rajya Sabha Members, MLAs and MLCs and percolating down to mayors of civic corporations, chairpersons of zilla parishads, government corporations and temple trust boards besides sarpanches at the grass-roots levels.

More than six lakh job opportunities were created under his rule in the last three and a half years including the 1.3 lakh jobs in village secretariats, 2.3 lakh strong village volunteers and 54,000 APSRTC employees whose services were regularised by his government, YS Jagan said. Of these, more than 80 percent jobs had been earmarked for BCs and other weaker sectons like SCs, STs and Minorities.

YS Jagan also highlighted how the State Government would end up providing a cumulative individual benefit amounting to Rs 5 lakhs to each of the women beneficiaries of land pattas and housing scheme, once the constructions would be completed. The total benefit for the recepients from the scheme would be between Rs 2-3 lakh crores, he added. Of the total 30 lakh house site pattas distributed so far in the state, 16,70,286 were given to only BC beneficiaries which translates to 55 percent allocation, he said.

Slamming Chandrababu Naidu and his earlier TDP regime for going back on its promise of spending Rs 10,000 annually for five years as part of BC Sub Plan, YS Jagan claimed that his government had spent about Rs 1.63 lakh crores in the last three and a half years for the welfare of the BCs under various schemes. He asked the participants at the meeting to go door-to-door to enlighten the people about the stark differences in the governance of both YS Jagan and Chandrababu Naidu. He insinuated that the TDP chief was unable to show courage to announce his party's solo fight against the YSRCP as the latter had nothing to showcase when it came to achievements under his rule.

Over one lakh members from around 175 constituencies attended the 'Jayaho BC Mahasabha.' The Chief Minister unveiled the report card of the YSRCP government on BC welfare measures that were implemented in the last three years. The Chief Minister said that almost eighty percent of the government expenditure were spent on the welfare schemes for the SC, BC, ST and Minority communities. The YSRCP government disbursed Rs 1,63,000 crore to the BC community under DBT and Non-DBT schemes, he added.