The Hindu : TDP announces another package of sops for weaker sections

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 30, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

TDP announces another package of sops for weaker sections

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI MAY 29. There was no let-up in the announcement of populist measures by the TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, who pulled out yet another package of freebies for all weaker sections on the concluding day of the three-day Mahanadu today.

Mr. Naidu rationalised the spate of concessions by stating that there was a wrong impression among people that economic reforms implied giving up welfare measures. On the contrary, reforms and welfare measures were two sides of the same coin with the former being long-term in nature and the concessions rather temporary as they were aimed at tackling poverty.

He said it was the TDP that launched the rice subsidy scheme in 1983 which was being continued by his Government with the supply of rice at Rs. 5.50 a kg to 1 crore cardholders. The scheme of building permanent houses for weaker sections was also the brainchild of the TDP Government, which had built 43 lakh dwelling units so far.

Mr. Naidu asserted that his Government wanted no citizen of the State to remain `homeless.' Towards this end, his Government would allot at least 10 lakh house sites to the eligible poor during the next one year.

Summing up the debate on a resolution on `welfare' during which speakers representing various caste-based professions demanded more economic and political empowerment, the TDP president had a new scheme or sop for virtually everyone, be they weavers, washermen, fishermen, stone-cutters or sheep-breeders. These schemes would be placed before the meeting of the next Cabinet for its approval, he said.

He declared that all major villages of Scheduled Castes and Tribes would be electrified within one year. All the ongoing water supply schemes in tribal villages would be completed during the same period. The ongoing programmes for constructing 500 hostel buildings for SC students at a cost of Rs. 500 crores and 200 community buildings at a cost of Rs. 10 crores would be expedited.

As for minorities, the TDP president promised that three residential schools would be built exclusively for girls belonging to these communities in the three regions of the State. He offered to re-package the `dukan-makan' (house-cum shop) scheme for the minorities for which a budget of Rs. 27 crores had been earmarked this year.

Mr. Naidu had a special word for washermen, who, he said, had spread the good word about the TDP to the people. He promised serious consideration for their demand of subsidised power supply, construction of dhobi ghats, a Rs. 10 crore micro-finance scheme and mobile laundries. For barbers, he said the Government would provide necessary assistance to start beauty parlours.

He offered to take up the question of tax relief of hank yarn with the Centre and to construct 20,000 houses for weavers. Similarly, he said the Government would render all help to shepherds by coming up with a Rs. 80 crore aid package, give matching grant to their societies and undertaking deworming of sheep four times a year. Another micro-finance scheme would be launched for the benefit of fishermen and NABARD approached for assistance for the purchase of modern boats.

In tune with his theme in all the speeches, the TDP chief accused the Congress of neglecting the interests of the weaker sections. He said the Congress Government had distributed less than 5 lakh house sites during 1989-94, whereas 40 lakh weaker sections had received house sites during the TDP regime.

Describing the Backward Classes as the backbone of the TDP, he said they would be given their due in Government schemes and in the party organisation. The BCs had never received as much political recognition as now in terms of representation in the Cabinet, the Assembly and the local bodies, he said.

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TDP announces another package of sops for weaker sections