Industrial policy for SCs, STs gamechanger: YSRCP

Tadepalli: YSRCP MLAs Merugu Nagarjuna, Alajangi Joga Rao and Talari Venkat Rao hailed the new industrial policy for SCs and STs, 'Jagananna YSR Badugu Vikasam', launched by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for the welfare of SCs and STs.

Speaking at a media conference at the party headquarters here on Monday, MLA Merugu Nagarjuna said Jagan was striving for the welfare of SCs and STs like BR Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule. He said Jagananna YSR Badugu Vikasam was a special industrial policy for the SC and the ST entrepreneurs providing an assistance of Rs one crore to each beneficiary to start a new venture.

He said the government would be providing incentives worth Rs 278 crore to the SCs and STs and skill development programmes would be held to improve skills among them. He said the Chief Minister has proved that welfare and development are two eyes of the government with the new industrial policy.

He said 16.2 per cent of the industrial units in the APIIC would be reserved for SCs and 6 per cent for ST entrepreneurs.

The MLA said the new policy provides fiscal incentives, besides exemption of stamp duty, land allotment, power, interest subsidy, net SGST, quality certification or patent registration, seed capital and other assistance as required.

Meanwhile, MLA Joga Rao said that while Chandrababu Naidu government looked down upon the SCs and the STs and never allowed them to come up in life, it was Jagan Mohan Reddy who turned out to be the savior of the Dalits by introducing the new industrial policy. He said it was a boon to the Dalits. He said schemes such as Vasathi Divena, Vidya Divena, Aasara, Cheyutha, Amma Vodi and introduction of English medium at primary school level started by the Chief minister were meant for the all-round progress of the Dalits.

While hailing the new industrial policy, MLA Talari Venkata Rao said Dalits should be ever thankful to the Chief Minister for taking the initiative to make them entrepreneurs. He said the new industrial policy for Dalits was a historic decision taken by Jagan as such a policy has not been implemented in any other State.

He said all the 28 SC MLAs and seven ST MLAs were indebted to the Chief Minister for his outstanding decision for the uplift of the Dalits.