VIJAYAWADA: Citing the establishment of village secretariats, Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) and village clinics, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy asserted that Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of Gram Swaraj was realised in the State over the past 50 months under the YSRC rule.
Addressing the gathering after hoisting the Tricolour at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) Stadium in Vijayawada to mark the 77th Independence Day, Jagan highlighted the government’s efforts to strive for social justice.“We have allocated 68% posts in the Cabinet to candidates belonging to SCs, STs, BCs and Minorities. Implementation of a slew of welfare schemes has also ensured that social justice could be a reality,” he said.
He asserted that the YSRC government has abolished a decades-old corrupt administrative system and transferred Rs 2,31,000 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes transparently.
Further, Jagan pointed out that his government has kept its commitment to decentralise administration by increasing the number of districts to 26 from 13 and introducing 15,000 village and ward secretariats.
“The government waged a war on untouchability which has assumed a new garb. Opposition to the introduction of English medium in schools, allotment of house sites, and construction of houses for the poor is also untouchability. The war will continue till justice is rendered,” he said.
Listing out the changes brought in six sectors of the State since assuming power, Jagan explained, “Agriculture has been thriving with the introduction of 10,778 RBKs which help farmers in all aspects from purchasing seeds to marketing their produce. Facilities of free crop insurance, e-crop, nine-hour quality power supply to farmers in the daytime, resurvey of lands after 100 years, bestowing ownership of assigned lands and resolution of issues related to dotted lands, besides completing irrigation projects on a priority basis has redefined the agriculture in the State.”
He said the education sector has been revolutionised with the implementation of Amma Vodi, Nadu-Nedu, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena and Videshi Vidya Deevena, distribution of bilingual textbooks, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) training for Class 3 students, digitisation of classrooms from Class 6 and plans to introduce International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education. “These changes will help our students become globally competitive,” he said.
“The medical and health sector, too, is upbeat as 17 new medical colleges will come up, 53,126 staff, including specialist doctors, will be recruited, 104 and 108 ambulances are being made available in all mandals, preventive healthcare is being strengthened with 10,032 village clinics serving the rural people. Besides, 3,255 procedures have been brought under the YSR Aarogyasri scheme,” he pointed out.
Further, he averred that multiple programmes like Kalyanamastu-Shaadi Tohfa, YSR Aasara, Kapu Nestham, EBC Nestham, distribution of 30 lakh house site pattas, Disha App and police stations, and Mahila police have resulted in social and economic empowerment of women.
Speaking on the industrial development, Jagan said the State is marching ahead by standing first in the country in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index, attracting investments to the tune of Rs 13,42,000 crore during the Global Investors Summit at Visakhapatnam. He added that 127 heavy industries were established in the State over the past four years with an investment of Rs 67,196 crore, which provided jobs to 84,607.
In conclusion, he quoted Dr BR Ambedkar and announced that the 125-foot-tall statue of the architect of the Indian Constitution will be unveiled in Vijayawada on November 26. Later, the Chief Minister handed over police medals to several IPS and other police officers for extending meritorious services.