Date:28/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/28/stories/2008112853900300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP leaders on fact-finding yatra

Staff Reporter

Interact with villagers, pick holes in implementation of welfare schemes

‘Large-scale corruption in Indiramma houses’
‘Old age pensions being given to Congressmen’

KALYANADURG: There was a huge gap between claims by the Congress government on the implementation of several welfare schemes and their reach to the genuinely needy sections, leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) observed on Thursday during their visit to several villages in Kalyanadurg mandal as part of ‘maha prasthana yatra’ launched by polit bureau member of the party and former MP K. Srinivasulu.

Visits to the villages which had already been covered under the first two phases of ‘Indiramma Aadarsha Gramalu’ scheme and interaction with different sections of people including the ones eligible for benefits under the scheme had been exposing the hollowness in the claims, the TDP leaders stated. Kalyanadurg legislator B.C. Govindappa, Penukonda legislator P. Sunita, district president of the party V. Hanumantaraya Chowdary and others made these observations.

“I have taken up the exercise to expose the emptiness of claims by the ruling party leaders and to learn problems of the people with an assurance of resolving them after the TDP is voted to power,” Mr. Srinivasulu said explaining the objective of his mass-contact campaign.

No amenities

Speaking to people at Mudigallu, Mallipalli, T.Kodipalli, Varli, Mouthikapuram, Mudinayanapalli and other villages en route the yatra the TDP leaders alleged that in the veil of implementing few welfare scheme the Congress government had completely neglected development of infrastructure and basic amenities in villages like roads, drinking water and school buildings.

There was large-scale corruption in Indiramma houses with the village-level Congress leaders swindling funds on ‘benami’ beneficiaries’ name, old age pensions were being given to the partymen even in the age group of 40-50 years neglecting the genuinely needy 60-80 year old persons, they noted.

As the elections are approaching fast several leaders of TDP and Congress have either already engaged in different mass-contact campaigns or planning to take up in the coming weeks.