Tadepalli, Sept. 23: Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy called upon party leaders and cadre in Greater Visakhapatnam to stand firm in the coming local-body elections, take people’s issues to the streets and counter what he described as the coalition government’s failures, broken promises and misuse of authority.
‘People see the Difference’
Addressing former public representatives, senior leaders and key activists at the YSRCP central office, Jagan maintained that people were comparing the five years of YSRCP rule with the present administration and recognising the difference.
He recalled that his government treated the manifesto as a binding commitment and implemented 99 per cent of its promises. Nadu-Nedu, English-medium education, bilingual textbooks, digital classrooms and tablets transformed government schools, while Aarogyasri was expanded from around 1,000 procedures to 3,300 with treatment coverage up to Rs. 25 lakh. Village clinics, the Family Doctor programme, hospital Nadu-Nedu and a zero-vacancy approach strengthened public healthcare, he stated.
Village and ward secretariats, volunteers and direct-benefit transfers brought government services to people’s doorsteps, while RBKs, e-Crop registration, free crop insurance and village-level agricultural support strengthened the farm sector.
‘Everything has gone into Reverse’
Jagan said the present situation had gone into “reverse gear”. He referred to land allocations in Visakhapatnam at 99 paise, the availability of liquor and ganja near habitations, and complaints that people now had to pay bribes even for routine certificates that were earlier delivered through the volunteer system.
He also revisited the coalition’s election assurances, including benefits for school-going children, women, unemployed youth and farmers. Farmers had been promised Rs. 26,000 annually including PM-KISAN, while women above 50 were promised Rs. 48,000 a year, he recalled, asking what value remained for the signed bonds and promises distributed before the elections.
DSC, Land and Visakhapatnam development
Referring to DSC recruitment, Jagan raised questions over appointments under the Sports Quota and said those questioning the government were facing cases and harassment.
On North Andhra, he highlighted projects taken up during the YSRCP government, including Bhogapuram International Airport, Moolapeta Port, the Adani data centre process, 1.30 lakh house-site pattas in Visakhapatnam, improvements to KGH, the Uddanam kidney research centre and drinking-water project, tribal educational institutions and medical colleges.
He also raised the GITAM land issue, referring to around 55 acres valued by him at about Rs. 5,000 crore, and demanded accountability over land allocations in Visakhapatnam.
Water Crisis and Polavaram
Jagan said Visakhapatnam was facing serious drinking-water scarcity, with supply reaching some areas only once in three days. He maintained that building Polavaram to 45.72 metres would provide additional storage of around 75 TMC and enable gravity-based supply towards Visakhapatnam and North Andhra, warning that reducing storage potential would cost the region valuable Godavari water.
Prepare for Local Elections
Jagan asked party workers to document any instances of misuse of authority or police excess in a “digital diary” and said future action should be taken strictly in accordance with law after examining such records. He urged police personnel to discharge their constitutional duties impartially and not yield to political pressure.
Calling for an intensified grassroots campaign, Jagan asked leaders and cadre to explain the YSRCP government’s record in education, healthcare, agriculture, welfare and North Andhra development, while taking up issues relating to election promises, land allocations, DSC recruitment, drinking water and democratic institutions.
“Stand firmly and fight. The party will stand with every leader and every worker,” he told the Greater Visakhapatnam cadre.
