Jai Ho BC TDP slogan & policy: Naidu

Vijayawada: As the time for poll notification is fast approaching and is expected sometime next week, the TDP-Jana Sena combine on Tuesday came up with a 10-point BC declaration promising to not only empower them politically but also ensure that they turn from job-seekers to job-givers.

The BC declaration has been drafted based on the suggestions the TDP had received in the last three years and long discussions they held during over 300 meetings with several BC leaders and after consulting the alliance partner Jana Sena. TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu said that during the 5-year rule of YSRCP, the government had been indifferent towards the BCs. Naidu said BCs were the backbone of the country. They are the real protectors of the traditions and culture of the country and they have been the backbone of TDP for over four decades and hence the party owes them a lot. He said there was a need to repay the gratitude and hence this declaration was a well considered move for their empowerment.

The highlights of the BC declaration are to hold caste census, pension of Rs 4,000 per month to BCs who attain the age of 50 years, and bring a special protection Act to BCs. At present the YSRCP government is giving Rs 3,000 as pension. Naidu said during the YSRCP rule over 300 BCs were killed by the ruling party, BC leaders were put behind bars for no reason.

This proposed a law on the lines of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Another important announcement was cancelling GST for handloom weavers and introducing a BC sub-plan in the budget. He said the sub-plan will be allocated Rs 30,000 crore every year for five years. The money allocated in the budget would be spent only for the welfare of the BCs, he said.

TDP chief also promised reintroduction of 34 per cent reservation for BCs in local bodies. The Jagan government had reduced it to 24 percent.

Among other promises were incentives for providing employment and economic uplift of BCs, setting up of corporations based on population ratio, creating a fund of Rs 10,000 crore to encourage self employment schemes and earmark Rs 5,000 crore for distribution of inputs under the Adarana scheme. In addition, common work sheds and facilitation centers would be provided at mandal and constituency level and incentives for industries will be reintroduced.

Naidu said Chandranna Bhima of Rs 10 lakh will be reintroduced and Pelli Kanuka amount will be hiked to Rs 1 lakh. The TDP-JSP government will also issue permanent caste certificates, he added. On the education front, he said residential schools would be upgraded as colleges, Videshi Vidya rules would be relaxed, fee reimbursement for PG students and setting up of study circle and Vidyonnati schemes would also be taken up. Construction of BC Bhavans and community halls would be completed in one year.

Earlier, Pawan Kalyan said it was time for all BCs to unite and defeat YSRCP. He recalled how the government had victimised BCs in its 5-year rule and promised to work for their uplift.