Andhra Pradesh Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Srivenkateswara Rao on Wednesday slammed opposition TDP (Telugu Desam Party) for creating unwarranted ruckus on capital Amaravati and Polavaram project.
While interacting with the media at the state secretariat, he said, "Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy never told that the capital of the state would be changed or Polavaram project would be stopped but TDP is making such baseless allegations for mere political mileage."
Talking on the issues of construction of capital Amaravati and Polavaram irrigation project, he said, "TDP had said that they would give water from Polavaram project by 2018, but could do nothing. Chandrababu used to claim that he would make Amaravati akin to Bangkok or Singapore, but failed to resolve the problems of the public and could not fulfil the basic needs of the people."
That is the main reason for TDP's debacle in 2019 assembly elections. Even after this, Chandrababu and his followers have started mud-slinging on the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government about those projects. If they continue to do so, the TDP will not get even a single seat in next assembly elections," Rao added.
The minister continued that Reddy never told that his government would stop the Polavaram project. It may delay the project by 3 or 4 months but the project will not be halted. The earlier rulers had looted the state income on the name of Polavaram project, we are going for reverse tendering to prevent corrupt practices in that project, he explained.
Minister Kodali rubbished the allegations of TDP and clarified that Jagan government is not working for the development of a particular community or a particular area but on the development of all districts across the state.
He also informed the state government is going to launch a pilot project to supply quality rice to ration card holders from the first week of September in Srikakulam district. Under this scheme quality, rice will be supplied to the doorstep of the cardholders in packed bags. The rice bags will be door delivered through village/ward volunteers. The scheme will be implemented to all the 1.40 crore ration cardholders across the state from April 2020, he said.
He added that measures are being taken to supply rice in eco-friendly bags instead of polythene bags. In this regard, the government will buy 2 crore bags per month.
The minister categorically told that the existing ration dealers will not be removed. There were apprehensions among the existing ration dealers that they might be replaced with the village/ward volunteers. However, the minister assured that there is no such threat to them.
( With inputs from ANI )