To take on Jagan,Reddy takes up YSR scheme,declares sops

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy launched his Rachcha banda programme (public meeting in villages) at Dolapeta in Srikakulam district.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday launched his Rachcha banda programme (public meeting in villages) at Dolapeta in Srikakulam district. Loaded with Rs 2,500 crore to be given as sops to various districts,the CM hopes to revive the Congress in the state and counter the clout of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy by touring the state and organising these programmes which are meant to review the implementation of governments welfare schemes. It was Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who started Rachcha banda and the CM flagged off the programme after garlanding a huge photo of the late leader in the village.

This programme is meant to review and ensure that all welfare schemes for the poor are being implemented properly. Officials will visit each house to review the implementation of the government welfare schemes. The purpose of bringing the entire administration to the villages is to identify and understand where are the bottlenecks,remove them effectively and forever,and to record new beneficiaries or those who have been left out, the CM said.

He started by asking about the allotment of ration cards and pensions for widows. He announced several sops for the backward district,including a Rs 39 crore drinking water project for Rajam mandal,Rs 10 crore for upgrading roads,converting the 60-bed Rajam government hospital into a 100-bed one,and Rs 35 crore for the construction of a new District Collectorate complex at Srikakulam town.

The CM would be interacting with people in select villages in Srikakulam,Vizianagaram and other coastal districts over the next few days. However,it may not be a smooth run when he moves to Telangana and Rayalaseema,especially Kadapa and Anantapur.

In Telangana,the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has warned that the party will not allow the CM to hold the programme. We will not allow the CM to hold even one programme peacefully. The Congress government here and at the Centre should realise that with each passing day they are taking things too far over declaring Telangana a separate state, warned TRS president K Chandrasekhara Rao.

Ahead of the CMs programme on Monday at Srikakulam some of his Cabinet colleagues faced the ire of Telangana activists in Warangal and Medak. Minister for Backward Classes Welfare B Saraiah was obstructed by a group of TRS activists at Kazipet railway station. The police had to intervene when his convoy was pelted with stones by the activists. However,the CM has resolved to go ahead with the programmes in Telangana next week.

Sources said the CM is keen on handling Kadapa and Anantapur in Rayalaseema effectively to counter Jagan Mohan.