VIJAYAWADA:Reiterating that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has miserably failed to address the core issues of tribals and neglected their interests by not giving a Cabinet post to the ST community, YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy has said that his government will work for the welfare of the community and initiate steps to recognise all hamlets, having a population of 500 families, as panchayats.
Interacting with tribals as part of the Praja Sankalpa Yatra at Prakasraopalem in West Godavari district on Saturday, he said, "Chandrababu Naidu has failed to set up the mandatory Tribes Advisory Committee for a long time as the majority of the elected representatives from Agency areas belong to our party. After buying some of them, he set up one, which is not functioning in the way it is supposed to serve the Adivasis,” he said.
Jagan said the TDP has neglected the tribals and placed its priorities elsewhere while the hamlets remain backward with no medical, education and other amenities.
"During the term of YSR, tribals had benefitted. Land was distributed besides housing projects were taken up in a big way. However, Naidu has set aside all these welfare programmes,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition said that the demand for converting thandas (hamlets) into gram panchayats would be considered and will be followed up as it is in the purview of the Central government. He assured that once his government is formed, all hamlets with a population of more than 500 families would be converted into gram panchayats.
“Besides 25 paise interest loans, our government will take up housing projects in a big way and fees reimbursement and Aarogyasri will be implemented to bring in quality medicine and education within the reach of the tribals. The pension amount will be increased to `2,000 and the age will be reduced to 45,” he said.
The proposal to construct one Super Speciality Hospital in every zone of ITDA, besides setting up of a degree college, engineering college and a medical college will be considered, he added.
The issue of displaced persons will be considered after taking all aspects into the account, he said.