Welfare steps during Covid hailed
GUNTUR: In the scorching summer heat, hundreds of people gathered at the Autonagar area of Guntur on Saturday. They were waiting for the arrival of the bus carrying the 17 BC, SC, ST and minority ministers of the State cabinet, who have been on a yatra to highlight the empowerment of the downtrodden and neglected sections by the YSRC government.
An impressive turnout was witnessed at the Prakasam Barrage where the local party leaders and people welcomed the ministers. TNIE spoke to some of those people, who were waiting for the arrival of the Bus Yatra which entered Guntur district, on the third day of the four-day tour.
One of them was Ramanamma, a 40-year-old woman from Autonagar, who waited for two long hours in the scorching heat to see the ministers. “Without Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s welfare initiatives, my family would not have survived the Covid-19 pandemic. We are getting all welfare schemes in time and my two children are going to school,’’ she said.
A similar view was expressed by K Nagamani, a 32-year-old widow. “I used to work as a maid and also in hotels to run my family of four. All my expenses used to be spent on providing food to the family. But now due to the welfare schemes being implemented by the Chief Minister, I am able to save some money for our future,” she added.
The ministers, who arrived at Autonagar, paid floral tributes to the YSR statue and addressed a public meeting. The third day yatra concluded in Narasaraopet where a public meeting was held.Addressing the gathering, Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao said the State under the able leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has witnessed revolutionary changes in the past three years though the Covid-19 pandemic has been a major setback.
Health Minister Vidadala Rajini said for the first time in the 75 years of Independent India, like never before, 74% of berths in a State cabinet were allotted to BCs, SCs, STs, and minority sections, whom former Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu had ridiculed, and disrespected on several occasions, she said.
MAUD Minister A Suresh asked TDP leaders to give clarity on whether they support the renaming of Konaseema district after BR Ambedkar or not. He urged them not to play games with weaker sections. The overwhelming response received to the Bus Yatra boosted the confidence of local YSRC cadres.
Expressing his joy over the response to the Bus Yatra, one among the audience, Nagaraju opined that normally such huge crowds used to gather when Jagan held public meetings. “But receiving such a huge response without him means that the people are happy and satisfied with the welfare and development schemes being implemented by the State government,’’ he added.