Srikakulam: TDP failed to help SHGs, rues Appala Raju

Srikakulam: Animal Husbandry Minister S Appala Raju lamented that TDP has done injustice to self help group (SHG) by not paying Rs 14,000 crore during their rule.

Addressing a press conference in Srikakulam on Tuesday, he said that the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu did not waive loan of Rs 14,000 crore to the SHG women which is double to Rs 28,000 crore and it became a burden on the present government.

He added that as Opposition leader Chandrababu failed to play a constructive role and trying to protect his political existence by creating hurdles for welfare and developmental activities to defame the government. He alleged that TDP is always resorting to courts to create hurdles for the welfare and development.

He expressed that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy paid Rs 6,300 crore in the first phase and Rs 6,400 crore in the second phase to the SHG women as part of loan waiver. YSRCP government committed to waive loans of SHG women and pay the waived amount in third and fourth phases also.

The minister also criticised that some TDP friendly media houses are trying to tarnish the state's image on drug issue even after the national investigation agency (NIA) had clearly mentioned that Andhra Pradesh has no links with the seized drugs at Mundra port.