VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu assured his Cabinet colleagues that a probe by CID (Crime Investigation Department) will be conducted into the smuggling of PDS rice and irregularities at the Kakinada Port. After the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Naidu held talks with a few Ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan, on the subject.
The alleged forced transfer of partnership in Kakinada Port and Kakinada SEZ (Special Economic Zone) was also discussed. The Chief Minister claimed, “They (the previous YSRCP regime) forcibly grabbed Kakinada Port and Kakinada SEZ. They allocated 41% to KV Rao (chairman of Kakinada Seaports Limited) and 59% to Aurobindo Realty and Infrastructure Limited.”
Naidu: Jagan destroyed all systems of governance
Stating that the previous administration, led by YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, destroyed governance systems, Naidu said, “The value of Kakinada Port and SEZ is around Rs 4,000 crore, but Payyavula Keshav (Finance Minister) has pointed out that it could be even higher. A total of 7,000 acres was encroached. Asset grabbing has become a new trend in the State. We have never witnessed such practices before. Now, he (Jagan) is deflecting blame to hide his mistakes.”
The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of gathering public opinion on government schemes through IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System) to assess their impact.
Additionally, Naidu instructed Ministers to uncover irregularities in various sectors under the YSRCP’s regime and assured them that all such issues will be subjected to CID investigation.