Touring districts to identify people’s issues: Lakshminarayana

Ongole: Retired Additional DGP V V Lakshminarayana is touring each district in Andhra Pradesh for four to five days and interacting with the local farmers, workers, teachers and youth. 

He is learning about the issues that are bothering the people and trying to find solutions. As the public believe that Lakshminarayana is another bureaucrat venturing into politics, he spoke to The Hans India about his future options.

Lakshminarayana is touring Prakasam district since Sunday with the theme, ‘Rythe Raju- Grama Swarajyame Dhyeyam’. When asked why he is touring the districts now and who is sponsoring his tour, Lakshminarayana said that he was a common man and it is his responsibility to know the issues in his motherland.

He said that in his 28 years career in public service, including 21 years in Maharashtra, he didn’t receive much chance to get exposure of ground level realities like the current tour. 

He also said that he required basic experience to make an argument if required in future. He said that he was learning about the problems of farmers in detail and would write to the officials concerned about the possible solutions available for them in the government system.

Replying to a question on the need for him to find solutions to problems when there is government system in place to address the public issues, the former public servant opined that the implementation of policies was not up to the mark.

In the present system, the farmers are unable to correct wrong entries in the Pattadar Passbooks, old and handicapped people are not receiving pensions and the eligible candidates are not getting loans from the banks, he pointed out. 

He said that when changes in policies and implementation process were made with the people in mind, change can be easily brought about in the people. He announced that he would bring a change in public and remind them that they are the government and the officers are servants to them in democracy. 

He expressed confidence that he will definitely bring that true democracy and it is the responsibility of every citizen. Lakshminarayana said that he possessed interest in rural development and agriculture sectors. He had resigned to his job two months ago after serving for 28 years.

When asked if he had taken the decision to quit the job to cash in on his image in public to chalk out a political career, he said that he would have resigned from the job about 3 to 4 years ago.

He pointed out that with an interest in rural development, he had attended interviews twice for the post of the Deputy Director General of National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), but lost the opportunity due to his police job. 

Finally, he had decided to tender resignation to the post in police department, as it became an obstacle for working in his passionate areas.  Bureaucrats taking part in people’s movements, and then entering politics is not new in India.

Lakshminarayana feels that former civil servants Jayaprakash Narayan and Aravind Kejriwal have been successful in bringing change in the thought process of public. 

He said that Jayaprakash Narayan’s efforts helped the public get a powerful Act like RTI while Kejriwal became the Chief Minister by leading people’s struggle in a unique manner. Similarly, he said that he was optimistic of achieving success.

He said that he can take a decision to support Jana Sena, TDP, BJP, YSRCP or float a party or just write books to motivate people to strive for people-centric democracy only after the completion of touring all districts. 

Lakshminarayana said that his aim is to find solutions to the problems of the people and will definitely see them solved through the government system.

He said that the government should implement the recommendations of expert committee like Swaminathan Commission, which promised a minimum support price for farmers, who cannot fix a price for their product.

He pointed out that the man who is struggling with problems knows the solutions for them. He said that he was discussing with the stake-holders about the solutions to their problems and will work for addressing them in the purview of the government sysem.

He expressed satisfaction over discharge of his duties as a public servant. “I performed to the best of my abilities in all positions that I held and will continue to work with dedication to solve people’s problems,” the former top cop said.

By Naresh Nandam