No Govt Support To AP Sportsmen, But Chandrababu Says Olympics In Amaravati  

Peda Bhimavaram, Vizianagaram district: Welfare schemes have been put on the back burner in Chandrababu Naidu‘s government. Even curtailed schemes are subject to discrimination on the basis of political identity and affiliation. How will the deserving poor benefit from any welfare scheme under such governance?

Krishna of Gajarayunivalasa was born congenitally blind. He was sanctioned a loan by the SC Corporation under the disabled category. But, out of sheer political discrimination, members of the local Janmabhoomi committee have been trying to ensure that he does not get the loan.

Sankara Rao of Locharla had a similar story to tell. A bike mechanic by profession, he hoped to secure a loan from the BC Corporation and set up a small mechanic’s shop. For four years now, he has been trying to get the loan sanctioned, without success.

Again, it is the Janmabhoomi committee members, who block the process and ensure that he does not get a loan only out of political discrimination. What is the use of having such corporations if they cannot cater to the needs of the deserving poor?

In these four and a half years of TDP rule, there has been no recruitment. Few jobs were given related to outsourcing work and contracts. Even those were given after palms were greased or due to the influence of TDP leaders.

Anuradha of Lakshmipuram submitted her application for a contract job as an ANM. “Anna, I was the topper among candidates in the SC category. I fulfil all the criteria for the job more than the others and should have got it. However, in the selection list, my name was not there. All posts had been sold by ruling party leaders to candidates of their preference,” She sobbed as she narrated her sorrowful experience.

While this was the raw deal meted out to Anuradha, a Dalit girl, Eswaramma who belonged to a BC community, had another story to tell which was no less painful. She was born, a physically-challenged child, with a polio deformity and could not walk. Overcoming all difficulties, she managed to complete her education and is trying to stand on her own two feet. She lost her father at a young age. Her mother, ekes out a living as a washerwoman and supports the family with her small earnings.

After completing her degree, she qualified in both DIET and TET. She is eagerly looking forward to DSE, which is constantly being put off on one pretext or the other.

The DSE notification has become a mirage for such candidates, who neither have a job in spite of their educational qualifications and who are denied the promised unemployment allowance. Will at least one deserving candidate in this category get justice? Abhiram is a rifle shooting champion at the national level. He lamented that he received no government support. He pointed out that his peers and team mates from other states received tremendous government support right from the purchase of rifles to government assistance of all kinds. He expressed his anguish that his only fault appeared to be that he belonged to Andhra Pradesh. What can one say about Chandrababu Naidu who does not encourage such talented sports persons across the state, but says that he will hold Olympics in Amaravati and give the winners Nobel prizes! Representatives of the non-local teachers’ associations of those working in Telangana met me today. After the bifurcation of the state, all of them remained in Telangana and their repeated pleas to transfer them to their native state of Andhra Pradesh have fallen on deaf ears. Despite several applications and petitions to the local MLA, Chief Minister and even the Vice President, their efforts proved fruitless, they said. Most of them belonged to North Andhra, as it turned out. Those who were in the BC category in AP were in the OC segment in Telangana. They complained that they faced many difficulties when it came to issues like health cards and the residential status of their children. It is unfortunate that this TDP government has turned a blind eye to their plight.

I have a question for the chief minister— what is the underlying reason behind Janmabhoomi committees getting involved in sanctioning loans of BC/SC Corporations, when these loans should go to the deserving poor? Is it not a way of discriminating on the basis of political affiliation and a means of lining the pockets of TDP party men?

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