#PrajaSankalpaYatraTour Diary Day 4: Will Jammalamadugu Smile Again?

YS Jagan Addressing a huge gathering at Yarraguntla - Sakshi Post

November 9, Yarraguntla, YSR District

My padayatra on Day 4 ended at 9.33 pm when I reached the camp site at Yarraguntla, 12.2 km from Uruturu, whence I started by journey in the morning. I started at 8.45 am and all along the yatra route, there were milling crowds and there was unbound enthusiasm in full flow. There was not an inch of empty space. Such was the crowd. All along the way, I greeted the senior citizens, the farmers, farmhands, employees and students who turned out in impressive numbers to meet me. Anantamma, a senior citizen, came to meet me all the way from Sanjamala in Kurnool district. She assured me that the demonic rule of Chandrababu would soon end and donated Rs 50000 for the party fund. How can I pay back to her? All I can do for her is to strain every nerve to realize the dream of Rajanna Rajyam.

Groundnut farmers met me at Y Konduru. They sowed groundnut as it was selling at Rs 10000 per quintal in the market. But, by the time they harvested, the price plummeted to Rs 5000, which is far too less than their input cost. Ditto with the black gram crop. Before harvest, per quintal price was Rs 13000. By the time the harvest was completed, the prices fell to Rs 4000. The story is similar for coriander and turmeric. A turmeric farmer on the outskirts of Yarraguntla narrated his plight. His crop loan was not waived. Whatever little waiver that the government did, wasn’t enough even to pay the interest on the loan. Why should the farmer, who toils day in and day out to feed the countrymen, end up with huge losses? To alleviate their lot, I have all along been rooting for constituting a price stabilization fund.

This has been one of the cardinal elements of the Navaratnalu I promised to the people of the state. I asked the farmers if they were aware of my Navaratnalu. They said they were happy about them. After a pregnant pause, a farmer said: The Farmers’ Reassurance Fund amount should be hiked. The other farmers joined the chorus. I said I would consider their suggestion. In the evening, I brought this issue to the notice of the people at a largely attended meeting at Yarraguntla. I told the gathering that the remunerative price would be decided early on during the crop season on the basis of the input cost, cost of the labour and the minimum profit. I also told them that the remunerative price would be decided quite early. To ensure this, I would also set up a Price Stabilisation Fund.

Later, Fathima Medical College students met me with their heart-rending tale. The Government was somnolent while the college was admitting students - right left and centre sans permission. What more, the NTR Health University had accorded recognition to these admissions. The management collected hefty amounts from the students. Now when the MCI has cancelled those seats, the State Government is doing nothing. It abandoned the students to their fate, though it could very well have taken remedial actions. Ironically, Chandrababu Naidu had used these students during the Nandyal bypolls. He conned them to believe that the issue was resolved in their favour. Gullible students and their parents had even felicitated him. He stooped to this low only to garner a handful of votes from the Minority community. As is his wont, he dumped them soon after the elections were over. When similar problems cropped up in states like Karnataka and Rajasthan, the provincial governments of the day held parleys with the Centre and resolved the issue out of humanitarian considerations. Though a partner in the Government at the Centre, Chandrababu did precious little and remained insensitive.

On Thursday, several employees met me and thanked me for my stand on the issue of contributory pension. Several contract employees from Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant, who have been working for eons without getting regularized, met me and sought my support. I assured them that I would regularize their jobs once my Government is formed.

On Thursday, I wrapped up my tour of Kamalapuram assembly constituency and stepped into Jammalamadugu. Imagine the transformation this constituency would have countenanced had my father been alive. More than 10000 people would have got direct employment if only the Brahmani Steel Project was completed. Several thousands more would have got indirect employment through secondary and tertiary industries. Gandikota would have transformed into a great tourism hub. Mylavaram dam would have been modernized. But, now, this area is desolate, with little hope of growth and progress.

I want to ask the Government what of the countless promises it made about the development of Jammalamadugu. They made promises galore both before and after elections. I would like to know when they would fulfill them.


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