Schemes Aimed At Empowerment Of Girl Child Are Non-Starters Under TDP
Thimmarajupeta, Visakhapatnam District: I spent my wedding anniversary today amidst my well wishers and friends. Since I was amidst people on the Padayatra here, my wife too joined me. Throughout the Padayatra, my close well-wishers kept greeting me and sent their best wishes.
Kusuma, Gireesha and Suguna of Haripalem, all of whom had daughters, met me today. They enrolled The daughters in the “Bangaru Talli” scheme and opened bank accounts thinking that money under the scheme would be given in a phased manner. They have been looking forward eagerly for government support. I felt sorry for them because they seemed to be completely oblivious of the truth behind Chandrababu Naidu’s “Bangaru Talli” scheme and that it had been discontinued a long time ago. He announced another scheme called “Mahalakshmi” and later completely neglected that as well.
This was also the case with Kishore Balika scheme said Anusha, a girl from the same village. Apart from making false commitments at the time of elections, no welfare scheme was being implemented in its true spirit under Chandrababu Naidu. Once he assumed office, he forgot all about the promises he made at the time of elections. This is Chandrababu Naidu‘s signature style of functioning. He waits for the next round of elections to make the next set of promises with the sole object of gaining power. Doing any good is the last priority in his scheme of things.
This area is full of small farmers most of whom depend on sugar cane farming. Under the TDP government, with sugar factories shutting down one after another, they have been trying to sell jaggery. Even in this process many hurdles are being created for them. Farmers who met me near Thimmarujupeta told me about the problems they faced because of no support price to their produce. Farmers of Munagapaka mandal were experts at producing jaggery and yet when the rulers themselves turned into middlemen, their skill was of no use. Potters belonging to Haripalem who had expertise in making toys as well as sports and other items, met me today. They told me how they could not carry out their activity because it became increasingly difficult for them to find soil and mud. One could well imagine their plight, considering the unchecked loot of sand and soil by mafias associated with the ruling party. Mani, a Dalit met me and told me that her son had completed his engineering course more than a year ago. However, he is not being given his certificates because his tuition fees have not been reimbursed yet. He is being told by the college authorities that only after government funds are released, would he be given his certificates. Should he forego his dreams of studying further or looking out for employment opportunities? Perhaps this is an example of Chandrababu Naidu’s fee reimbursement scheme and Dalita Tejam.
I have a question for the chief minister — the Telugu Desam manifesto said that every girl child would be given Rs.25,000 under the Mahalakshmi scheme and that this amount would be deposited in bank, which would grow to Rs.2 lakhs.This was the amount that would be given to her later, was the election promise made by TDP. In these four and a half years has a single girl in the state benefited from this scheme of yours? After Bangaru Talli, a similar fate of non-implementation overtook the Mahalaxmi scheme. Does this not amount to deceiving women of the state? Farmers, self-help groups, women, students eagerly looking forward to avenues of employment, even the newborn have not been spared by your governments deception. Is this not true?
