Mangalagiri: Yanamala Ramakrishnudu blames corruption for rising poverty in State

Mangalagiri: Former minister and TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu on Monday demanded the YSRCP government to explain why other states fared better than AP in reducing poverty levels and in achieving their development goals in spite of the severe Covid-19 pandemic crisis.

Ramakrishnudu said it was only due to the mismanagement of resources and diversion of funds by the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime that the poor became poorer in AP and the middle classes also sank into poverty. Whereas, a select few henchmen of the ruling YSRCP became the neo-rich. The socio-economic inequalities rose sharply in just two years. Apparently, the Covid contribution to this crisis was very little as far as AP was concerned, he said.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, the TDP leader deplored that price rise and reduced expenditures in education and health infrastructure had greatly hurt the state economy. The incomes of over 97 per cent of households came down drastically. Poverty rose to 24 per cent in rural areas and to 29 per cent in urban areas. AP came to stand in 5th place in poverty and in 14th place hunger in the country.

The former Speaker said that the Jagan regime spent 46.10 per cent of total budget during 2019-`20 as against 46.80 per cent during 2018-'19, nearly 0.7 per cent less when compared to the TDP rule. This had a direct impact on general welfare, women and child welfare, education, health, sports and youth services. Moreover, AP spent just 1.3 per cent of the GSDP on health during 2019-`20 as against 4 per cent recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.

The TDP leader asserted that the main reason for rising poverty levels in AP was the building up of a massive corruption empire by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy in the last two years. There were special allocations for DBT schemes and no expenditure on social infrastructure for schools and hostels for the weaker sections.

The government made Rs 80,000 loans last year and Rs 1 lakh crore this year in addition to off-budget borrowings. Where had all this money gone other than into the pockets of the YSRCP leaders, he asked.