Amaravati: YSRCP firm on 3Cs

Amaravati : YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy appears to be firm on the issue of three capitals. Addressing a press conference after releasing the party manifesto on Saturday, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the government will commence governance from administrative capital Visakhapatnam soon after coming to power.

The CM said that Visakha will be developed as a growth engine of the state. Reiterating his earlier stand, Jagan said Amaravati will remain as Legislative capital and Kurnool will be the judicial capital.

Highlighting the manifesto for the upcoming elections he promised to gradually hike welfare pensions from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 per month. The CM noted that welfare pensions, which are currently at Rs 3,000 per month, will be raised to Rs 3,250 from January 2028 and subsequently to Rs 3,500 from January 2029.

Creation of special panchayats for Dalits who account for 50 percent population of a village or 500 households is a new scheme introduced in the manifesto today.

Over the next five years, the ruling party chief promised to supply pure drinking water to every household, repair and develop road infrastructure, and develop industrial parks in every district under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.In Godavari districts, he promised to solve the issue of aquaculture ponds' water contaminating other regular water bodies. Other initiatives include the allocation of Rs 2,000 crore in the first phase to develop district headquarters as smart cities by laying roads, building parks, drainage and other necessary amenities.

MSMEs, which received two incentives in the past five years, will receive them on an annual basis.

Life insurance of Rs 5 lakh to gig workers in organisations such as Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon and others under YSR Jeevan Bhima scheme, completion of the Bhogapuram international airport in the next 18 months, completing Polavaram project over the next five years are among other promises in the manifesto.

Further, Reddy promised to continue the Nadu-Nedu school renovation programme, along with welfare hostels and degree colleges.

Likewise, he said steps would be taken to fill 3,295 teaching posts in 18 universities, overcoming the court cases. Reddy has also raised the financial outlay for some schemes such as Amma Vodi, which has been hiked from Rs 15,000 per annum to Rs 17,000. YSR Rythu Bharosa scheme has been hiked from Rs 13,500 to Rs 16,000 per annum. Delving on jobs, YSRCP chief noted that Group - I, Group -II and other government recruitment examinations will be conducted without fail.