VIJAYAWADA: Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday accused the YSRC government of going back on its poll promise of free houses to the poor of all the three categories — 300 square feet, 365 sft and 430 sft.
He claimed that it was persons associated with the ruling party who moved the courts and got stay orders related to lands identified for distribution to the poor and not his party men, as alleged by the ruling party.
Naidu, who spoke during the short discussion on ‘Navaratnalu - houses for poor,’ found fault with the government for releasing fake advertisements on the housing scheme of the TDP government.
Recalling that it was the NT Rama Rao -led TDP government which initiated construction of houses for the poor, Naidu alleged that the YS Rajasekhara Reddy government had involved in Rs 4,500-crore corruption in the housing scheme.
Naidu went on to add that his government’s housing scheme for the poor was aimed at giving one of the best houses to the beneficiaries with all latest technology apart from providing infrastructure like water, drainage, roads and others. Naidu said Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana had earlier stated that 91,000-odd houses were constructed by the previous government and now claims that it was only 77,000.
Naidu said that Jagan, during his election rallies, promised to construct houses free of cost to the poor. He demanded that the government fulfil its promise by constructing houses to all those who have opted for houses in 300 sq ft or 365 sq ft or 430 sq ft.
“As you claim that you will never go back on your promise, you have to fulfil what you have promised,’’ Naidu said.
Naidu, citing some of the instances in Kurnool, East Godavari and others, went on to add that it was the YSRC leaders and sympathisers who have approached courts and got stay orders as the lands were marsh lands, mining or forest lands. After staging a walkout from the House after suspension of 13 TDP MLAs, Naidu, speaking to reporters, alleged that the YSRC government was doing total injustice to the poor on the housing programme.
Demanding that the government hand over the TIDCO houses completed by the TDP regime to the poor families for whom allotments were already made by lottery, Naidu asked as to how the Chief Minister could compare his scheme to that of the TDP, which gave free houses under all the three categories. “In the YSRC manifesto, they promised free houses to all. But now, the government was saying that free houses would be given only for those opting for 300 sft,’’ Naidu said.
Lokesh complains against Guntur Urban SP
TDP MLC Nara Lokesh has moved a privilege notice against Guntur Urban SP RN Ammi Reddy. He made a formal complaint to Council Chairman MA Shariff on Tuesday saying that Ammi Reddy had threatened him through social media posts. He said that when he found fault with the false arrest of TDP activist Maniratnam, the SP put social media comments to threaten and trample on his rights as an MLC.
‘Refer property tax bill to select committee’
Naidu demanded that the government refer the property tax bill, which was passed in the Assembly, to the Select Committee instead of rushing it.
“Just for the sake of Central funds and more loans, the YSRC regime was bringing this arbitrary law. This would lead to a new method of taxation based on market rates of property which would badly affect all sections of owners in urban areas,’’ he said.