Deploying petrol vehicles for ration delivery foolish decision: TDP

Amaravati: TDP national spokesman Kommareddy Pattabhi on Friday slammed the YSRCP government for 'spoiling' the livelihoods of innocent beneficiaries to whom the government has given 9,260 vehicles to deliver door-to-door ration to over 1.40 lakh card holders across the State.

Pattabhi said that these 9,260 vehicle beneficiaries would find it difficult to give genuine service to the people as per the terms and conditions set by the government. As per the agreement, the government would give just Rs16,000 per month to each beneficiary. From this, they would have to pay a Rs 7,000 monthly instalment towards the vehicle bank loan.

Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader said that the government has also asked each vehicle beneficiary to engage an assistant and also bear fuel expenses from within Rs 16,000 monthly amount given to them.

As these conditions are not profitable, the beneficiaries are already running the vehicles as 'service autos'. Moreover, they would resort to corruption in ration delivery for which the ruling YSRCP should take total responsibility. While giving such a raw deal, the YSRCP leaders are making false claims of having doing a great service to the weaker sections and backward classes families, the BJP leader said.

Pattabhi wondered how petrol vehicles were given for all the 9,260 beneficiaries while diesel vehicles would usually be used for good transport. This is yet another 'Tughlaq' decision taken by the government. Moreover, the petrol price has crossed Rs 90 per litre thanks to the higher tax imposed by the State government.

Fuel prices were higher in AP than any other State in the country. This burden would also fall on the beneficiaries of the door to door ration vehicles. An average an auto rickshaw driver would make Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. But the ration vehicle beneficiaries were being given just Rs 16,000 per month in which bank instalment, assistant salary, fuel expenses should be adjusted.

The TDP leader said that by flagging off the ration vehicles at Benz Circle on Thursday, the Chief Minister just initiated the destruction of the ration distribution system in the State. Already, the ration dealers had lost their livelihoods because of the Jagan regime's atrocious decision.

The YSRCP leaders would have to take the blame if the poor families would not be able to receive proper ration in future. The subsidies on ration sugar, dal and other items were already lifted. Even the Sankranti, Christmas and Ramzan Thofa gifts were not being given by the AP government.