Andhra Pradesh governor hails Naidu’s efforts to ‘revive’ state
Accusing the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh of derailing the state’s development completely and unleashing a destructive regime in the last five years, governor S Abdul Nazeer on Monday said the new government of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu was making all out efforts to bring the state back on rails.
Accusing the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh of derailing the state’s development completely and unleashing a destructive regime in the last five years, governor S Abdul Nazeer on Monday said the new government of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu was making all out efforts to bring the state back on rails.
Addressing a joint meeting of the state legislative assembly and legislative council members at Amaravati on the first day of the budget session, Nazeer explained that the state government had already launched its people-centric governance.
“A Mega DSC (District Selection Committee) for filling up 16,347 teacher vacancies has been taken up and the controversial Land Titling Act has been abolished. We have enhanced social security pensions to ₹4,000, set in motion a Skill Census and reopened the Anna canteens to provide food for the poor at a very nominal rate of ₹5, besides introducing supply of sand free of cost,” he said.
Members of the opposition YSR Congress Party led by former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy disrupted the governor’s address, before staging a walkout in protest against alleged ‘political killings’ and deteriorating law and situation in the state.
The YSRCP members, who came to the assembly sporting black scarfs and holding placards, raised slogans of “stop political killings,” “save democracy” and “we want justice,” even as the governor continued with his speech. After continuing slogan shouting for some time, YSRCP members staged a walkout.
Earlier, there was a mild clash between the YSRCP lawmakers and the police personnel at the assembly entrance, when the latter snatched and tore the placards and papers held by the opposition members. Jagan picked up an argument with the police and questioned their authority in stopping them from holding placards.
Continuing his speech, the governor said the completion of Polavaram, the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh, is of utmost importance. “During the previous regime, the project was completely neglected. Introduction of reverse tendering and cancelling the agreed contracts have caused irreparable damage, not only to the project but also to the concept of interlinking of rivers,” he said.
Nazeer said the extent of real damage during the previous regime had not come in for public discourse so far. “The misgovernance from 2019-24, created a trust deficit with regulatory authorities and damaged the brand of Andhra Pradesh among investors. The people have now given a strong mandate to the NDA to rebuild the brand of Andhra Pradesh and regain the trust.”
The governor explained in detail how the erstwhile TDP government between 2014 and 2019 made efforts to rebuild the state post-bifurcation of combined state. Notwithstanding the adverse impact of state bifurcation and undaunted by challenges such as budgetary constraints, infrastructural deficiencies and unresolved issues, the then government had converted every crisis into an opportunity during the period 2014-19, he said, adding the government had laid a solid foundation for a vibrant ”Sun Rise Andhra Pradesh”.
However, the governor said, all the efforts had gone waste as the clock was put back by the successive YSRCP government, damaging the brand Andhra Pradesh, which shut the doors to fresh investments in the state.
He said the state had witnessed bigger damage during the YSRCP regime than what the bifurcation of the combined state had caused. “Today, we stand at a juncture where the people have to again take up the task of rebuilding their state,” he said.
The governor pointed out that winning elections and assuming responsibility is a happy event, but for the first time in the country the members were not in a position to rejoice and have the means to meet people’s aspirations immediately.
“Keeping this in view, my government is proposing to go for a budget after meaningful deliberations,” Nazeer added.