People's Democracy

ANDHRA PRADESH

CPI(M) to Launch Agitation against Cuts in Welfare Schemes

THE Andhra Pradesh state committee of the CPI(M) has decided to launch a big agitation inn the coming period against the Congress government's deliberate steps to cut down of various welfare schemes citing lack of funds. “When such a constraint is not coming in the way of paying dues to contractors and other wealthy sections, why is the government citing this reason only when it came to paying the dues to the poor beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, particularly the Indiramma housing scheme” questioned the state committee.

The state committee met on June 3-4, 2010 in Hyderabad. Informing the media about the decisions of the committee, Polit Bureau member and state secretary B V Raghavulu said that in the run up to the agitation, the Party will hold meetings of the beneficiaries in 350 mandals, which have been identified as the places where irregularities in the implementation of the schemes are most severe. The Party had conducted surveys in around 1500 villages regarding the problems of the beneficiaries and letters have been written to the CM explaining the irregularities. As per government figures itself,  the dues for its welfare schemes – Indiramma housing scheme, Arogyasri health scheme, mid-day meal scheme, employment guarantee scheme, student fee  reimbursement etc – stands at a whopping Rs 6000 crore. The actual figure could be around Rs 12,000 crore, said Raghavulu. The bulk of the dues apart from Indiramma housing scheme pertain to loan waiver to SC/STs and student fee reimbursement which together amount to Rs 4400 crore. While this is the status in regard to payment of dues for the poor beneficiaries of the schemes, the government found no difficulty in paying thousands of crores of rupees to civil contractors as dues in response to their 'agitation'.

The state committee charged the state government of deliberately stopping the release of funds to various welfare schemes in order to dilute them and ultimately stop them. At a time when people are reeling under the impact of rising prices and economic hardships, the government instead of coming to their aid by effectively implementing the schemes is resorting to such devious tactics. “At a time of economic crisis, whom should the government rescue – the poor or the rich contractors? The government is coming to the rescue of the powerful, vocal rich sections while the poor, helpless people are being squeezed further”, noted the state committee. It strongly condemned this attitude of the government and warned of a big agitation on this issue if the government does not relent. Raghavulu informed that the CPI(M) would hold talks with other like minded Left parties on this issue and chalk out a joint agitation plan.

OTHER

ISSUES

The state committee deliberated on other important issues being faced by the people. Primary among them was the one relating to farmers. With monsoon on the doorstep, the government has still not taken any steps to distribute seeds, fertilisers and other inputs to the farmers. There is also no effort to provide loans to share-croppers. The lack of seriousness on the part of the government can be gauged from the fact that it is holding bankers meeting on this issue at this late stage. Raghavulu announced that the Party will chalk out agitational activity on the problems faced by farmers.

Over two lakh urban people belonging to middle classes and the poor living are facing serious problems in around 146 municipalities. Lack of housing is a severe problem while those who already have one are being fleeced by the authorities in the name of regularisation of their properties. The CPI(M) has demanded that the government must give free house sites to the poor apart from providing subsidies to the middle classes.

The CPI(M) state committee has also opposed the large scale acquisition of land in the name of SEZs, power plants etc, particularly in the coastal areas. It decided to conduct agitation on this issue by mobilising the dispossessed. It demanded from the government proper valuation of the lands being acquired and also that the B-form patta lands (those given to Scs/STs) must be exempted from such acquisition. (INN)