Laying emphasis on welfare schemes for the agriculture sector, women and unemployed, Opposition Leader and YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released party’s manifesto for the April 11 elections.
Financial assistance to various castes and classes and earlier announced policy decisions such as imposition of liquor ban, enacting laws for the benefit of tenant farmers and a new insurance scheme for those in the age group of 18-60 years are included in the manifesto.
Jagan also reiterated his commitment to fight for the Special Category Status to AP and said, “The SCS will lead to an employment revolution.”
Releasing the party’s manifesto at his new residence at Tadepalli in Guntur district, Jagan promised financial assistance not only to the unemployed, petty traders, SC, ST, BC and other minority communities but also to the financially poor among the upper castes.
Jagan said he, if voted to power, will implement the manifesto in ‘letter and spirit’. “We will review the implementation of the manifesto on a day-to-day basis,’’ Jagan said, adding that the manifesto was prepared by incorporating ‘Navaratnalu’ (nine schemes of the party) and the party’s BC declaration. Reaching out to the farming community, Jagan announced the YSR Rythu Bharosa scheme, through which his government will extend Rs 50,000 to each farmer as investment cost. “In May, the period when crop is sown, we will give Rs 12,500 for each farmer,’’ he said.
Interest-free loans, nine-hour free power in the morning hours, cold storage and food processing units in every Assembly constituency and `7 lakh insurance to the family of a farmer in case of the sudden death of the bread winner under YSRC Bhima are some of the other doles aimed at the farming community.
Focusing on backward communities, considered a vote bank of the TDP, Jagan said the party will give 50 per cent reservation to BCs in all nominated posts and will constitute BC Commission. Not just BCs, Jagan doled out promises to Muslim and Christian minorities and also promised to set up Corporations for upper castes such as Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vysya, Reddy, Kamma and others. The other section which was given impetus was the women SHGs. With the TDP government recently announcing Pasupu Kumkuma scheme for the Dwcra women, the YSRC made an attempt to woo them by announcing YSR Aasara to the SHG women. Alleging that the TDP government had deceived women by going back on its 2014 election promise of waiving their loans, Jagan said that he would clear the loans of SHGs in four phases.
“The entire loan amount of SHGs would be cleared in four phases. The amounts will be handed over to the SHG women directly,’’ he said and added that his government will reintroduce zero-interest loans to SHGs.
Strengthening of the YSRC Aarogyasri scheme, a programme launched by his father and former CM late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, was another major announcement in the manifesto. “Aarogyasri will be extended to the families whose annual income is less than Rs 5 lakh,’’ Jagan said and added that it will be applicable to any medical treatment costing over Rs 1,000.