VIJAYAWADA: Responding to former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s remarks on the Yogandhra programme, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh on Saturday termed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated, asserting that the coalition government was committed to prioritising public health over personal extravagance.
Addressing the media, Durgesh said Jagan’s criticism of the Yogandhra initiative exposed his indifference towards people’s health. He clarified that the programme was organised with an aim to promote yoga as a way of life and was conducted using Rs 94 crore from Central and State government funds. Allegations of misuse of funds were completely unfounded, he added.
The Minister questioned how the former Chief Minister, who spent nearly Rs 500 crore on constructing a luxury palace atop Rushikonda, could object to expenditure on a public health initiative.
He pointed out that the Rushikonda palace had replaced revenue-generating Haritha Resorts, which earlier earned Rs 7.5 crore annually for the Tourism Department, and had now become a burden, costing nearly Rs 25 lakh every month towards maintenance and electricity charges.
Durgesh said Andhra Pradesh was proud to host International Yoga Day celebrations in North Andhra, where around three lakh people participated, creating a Guinness World Record. He alleged that Jagan was attempting to malign a globally acclaimed programme, including one appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Defending the PPP model for medical colleges, the Minister said it would improve access to quality healthcare and medical education for the poor. He alleged that funds meant for medical infrastructure were diverted during the previous regime, causing injustice to students and specialist doctors. The coalition government, he said, would add nearly 2,500 medical seats within two years.