TDP has all the way neglected tribals : YS Jagan

Prakasarao palem (West Godavari dist): Reiterating that Chandrababu Naidu has miserably failed to address the core issues of tribals and neglected their interests as not a single ST is inducted into the cabinet, YSR Congress President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that his government would work for the welfare of the community and initiate steps to recognize all hamlets, having a population of 500 families, as panchyats.

Speaking at an interactive session with tribals as part of the Praja Sankalpa Yatra here on Saturday, the Leader of Opposition said, Chandrababu Naidu has failed to set up the mandatory Tribes Advisory Committee for a long time as majority of the elected representatives from agency areas belong to our Party. Only after buying some of them out did he set up one, which is not functioning in the way it is supposed to serve the adivasis.

TDP has all the way neglected tribals and placed its priorities elsewhere while the hamlets remain backward with no medical, education and other amenities and are still remain backward.

It was during the term of YSR that tribals benefitted and land was distributed besides housing was taken up in a big way and Chandrababu Naidu has set aside all the welfare programmes. The demand for converting thandas (hamlets) into gram panchayats would be considered and will be followed up as it is in the purview of the Central Government but we assure you that all hamlets with a population of more than 500 families would be converted into gram panchayats.

Besides 25 paise interest loans, our government will take up housing in a big way and fees reimbursement and Aarogyasri will be implemented to bring in quality medicine and education within the reach of tribals. The pension amount would be increased to Rs 2,000 and the age would be reduced to 45, he said. The proposal to construct one Super Speciality Hospital in every zone of ITDA, besides setting up of a degree college, engineering college and a medical college would be considered, he said.

The issue of Displaced Persons (DPs) would be considered taking all aspects into the account as they have sacrificed a lot by foregoing their land for a national project, he said.