Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has pushed the State into a serious financial crisis by mobilising loans from all sources to service debt, Telugu Desam Party national general secretary Nara Lokesh alleged.
Addressing a public meeting at Addanki on Sunday night as part of his ‘Yuva Galam‘ padayatra, Mr. Lokesh said that there has been no asset creation in the State. “After giving ₹10 by implementing a miniscule number of welfare schemes, he has collected 10 times more from the public through a heavy taxation regime. Going by this trend, even the air that people breathe will be taxed,” he quipped.
Development had become a big casualty during the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime, he contended, and challenged the ruling YSRCP MLAs and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy who hailed from Prakasam district, to come for a debate on development ushered in during the current regime and the previous TDP regime.
Mr. Lokesh alleged that there was a long list of unkept promises of the Chief Minister, such as total prohibition, ‘Ammavodi’ financial support to women for all children and pension for SC/ST/BC women over the age of 45, filling up 2.35 lakh vacancies in government departments and completion of the Nadikudi-Srikalahasti railway line and National Investment and Manufacturing Zone and the Veligonda project.
Even after one year, the gates of the Gundlakamma irrigation project have not been repaired, the TDP leader alleged.
Sunday marked the 170th day of Mr. Lokesh’s walkathon.
He promised issuance of a job calendar each year and creation of 20 lakh jobs in the public and private sectors by bringing new industrial units to the State. He alleged that the State witnessed a flight of industries during the present regime.
An alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not come in the way of implementation of welfare schemes for the benefit of minorities during the previous TDP regime, he said, and promised setting up of an Islamic bank to ensure soft loans for the members of the community as many of them were forced to end their lives due to financial difficulties.
Arrears to all State government employees, including police personnel, would be cleared and their pay hiked to their satisfaction by constituting a Pay Revision Commission, he said.
He promised to merge Addanki back into Prakasam district within 100 days of coming to power. He exhorted the people to reward the sitting TDP MLA G. Ravikumar with a fourth consecutive win in the Assembly elections and help him retain the Addanki seat in the 2024 elections.
