VIJAYAWADA: BJP State chief Somu Veerraju has demanded that the YSRC government retain Amaravati as the capital and to develop the area procured from the farmers as promised to them. He also demanded that the government release a white paper on APTIDCO houses, and lashed out at the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s regime for running the State by depending on borrowings.
Speaking at a party meeting here on Wednesday, the BJP MLC said that his party was committed for the development of Amaravati. He said that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy promised to develop Amaravati, but later decided to move the capital to Visakhapatnam. “The capital should be developed in Amaravati. After the development of the capital area and creating the layouts for 64,000 plots for farmers, the remaining 9,000 acres should also be developed,” he asserted.
The BJP state chief criticised both the TDP and the YSRC, alleging that they are dynastic and caste-based parties. He slammed the previous government and the current dispensation for pushing the State into a debt trap. He claimed that the welfare schemes being implemented by the State were mostly funded by the Centre. Somu said that the state government failed in taking up road projects across the state despite Central assistance and added that his party would launch a protest on December 5 over it.
He sought release of a white paper on APTIDCO houses. The Centre sanctioned 15 lakh houses and was giving Rs 1.5 lakh for each beneficiary for the construction.
“If that Rs 1.5 lakh is given to beneficiaries, they will pool in another Rs 1.5 lakh and a 300 sft house can be built. The earlier government committed irregularities in the housing scheme, he alleged. While PM Narendra Modi’s dream was to ensure everybody has an own house, Naidu made the dream a rented house as he escalated the house cost to Rs 7 lakh for which the beneficiary has to pay Rs 2,000 per month for 20 years.