YSR schemes will be continued: Rosaiah

The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, assured that he will continue all the welfare schemes initiateded by the former chief minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, and that is part of his agenda. He said his Cabinet colleagues and MLAs advised him to introduce new schemes to show his mark on the administration. He felt instead of introducing new schemes it is better to continue the welfare schemes introduced by the former chief minister. Though 12 chief ministers ruled the state it was YSR who made a mark on the administration and the people of the Andhra Pradesh will never forget him, he said.

Mr Rosaiah said that till March 2004, the state government had given 18 lakh pensions to the poor and during the last five years the state government increased the number of beneficiaries to 74,30,000 in the state. Financial assistance to pension beneficiaries was increased to Rs 200 per month from Rs 75, he said. Similarly, pension for the challenged was increased to Rs 500 per month, he said. He reminded that whenever oil and onion prices increased the government supplied oil and onions at a subsidy for the sake of the poor people.

The Chief Minister said he spoke to the Central agriculture minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, to purchase paddy from the farmers. He said Mr Pawar directed the officials to take steps to purchase the damaged paddy also. Though severe drought and floods affected the state, the government is continuing all the welfare schemes, he said.

Earlier, he inaugurated the Rajiv Swagruha housing complex constructed for the poor at cost of Rs 5.25 crore in Guntur west Assembly segment and distributed the allotment letters to two beneficiaries.

The minister for major industries, Mr Kanna Lakshmi Narayana, requested the Chief Minister to direct the officials to speed up land acquisition process for the distribute house sites to the poor. The union minister of state for textiles, Ms Panabaka Lakshmi, the minister for endowments, Mr Gade Venkata Reddy, the minister for technical education, Mr Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, the minister for secondary education, Mr Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad, deputy chairman in the state legislative council, Mr Mohammad Jani, the Guntur MP, Mr Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, MLCs, Mr T.G.V. Krishna Reddy, Dr Rayapti Srinivas, Mr Singam Basava Punnaiah, Mr K.S. Lakhsmana Rao, mayor Mr Rayapati Mohana Saikrishna, MLAs, Mr Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy, Ms Kandru Kamala, Ms Mekathoti Sucharitha, Mr Pennalli Ramakrishna Reddy, zilla parishad chairman, Ms Kuchipudi Vijaya, district collector, Mr B. Ramanjaneyulu and the superintendent of police, Mr D.C.Chauhan, participated. The Guntur west MLA, Mr Shaik Mastan Vali, presided over the meeting.