Fee Reimbursement Scheme in A State Of Total Neglect

Vissakoderu, West Godavari district: I set foot on one of the most sacred sites known to Hinduism. One of the abodes of Pancharama, Somarama in Godavari district, the town where Mavullamma temple stands, Bhimavaram. Bhimavaram is a hallowed place also because Mahatma Gandhi called it the second Bardoli of India for its front-ranking participation in the non-cooperation movement.

The renowned medical scientist Dr Yellapragada Subbarao hailed from this town as did the celebrated writer Adavi Bapiraju. Bhimavaram carved a niche for itself as an aqua hub over the years and has sadly turned into a centre of corruption under the Telugu Desam rule. The declining state of affairs can be seen at every step of the way in all possible aspects of society. Representatives of leprosy victims met me and poured out their woes regarding government neglect, denial of pensions and ration cards. These facilities were withdrawn on the pretext that the biometrics of these leprosy victims, iris or finger prints could not be registered. They told me that during my father, the late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy's tenure, they were given Antyodaya cards. The tragedy is that while other states have emulated my father and launched similar initiatives, in Andhra Pradesh the situation is quite the opposite.

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My father had launched the fee reimbursement scheme to light up the lives of the poorest of the poor and empower them with education. Annapureddy Dhanalaxmi met me to say that she earned her doctoral degree choosing his fee reimbursement scheme as her topic of research. She studied how millions of students saw a transformation in their lives, thanks to the scheme. According to her research findings, this initiative merited countrywide implementation. Her thesis further revealed that admissions in professional colleges had dropped, employment opportunities had got severely impacted, affecting the socio-economic conditions of several families because of the dilution of this pioneering initiative. When this research scholar told me, "Anna, this scheme lost its place of pride and its glory after your father's untimely demise", I was reminded of what Vamsi, a Dalit polytechnic student, had said. He did not get his fee reimbursement for the second year. Two years had passed, he had completed his course and yet he had not yet been issued his certificate because he did not have the means to pay his fees. As a result, he was losing out on job opportunities and was in an anguished state. I felt deeply saddened by the fact that such a pioneering initiative had been watered down with such indifference by Chandrababu Naidu.

Dialysis technicians and therapists met me today and described at lengths the pains of poor patients suffering from renal failure undergoing treatment in government hospitals.The government hospitals did not have enough dialysis machines and the ones which were there did not function, trained technicians were not available and there were no specialists. Patients had no access to basic facilities, they said and added that when things took a turn for the worse in the case of a patient, one had to give up all hope. I felt deeply agitated by this fact.

As for private hospitals, they stopped treating patients under Arogyasri because of non payment of bills which were long overdue. Wherever they had access to Arogyasri, the facilities provided were sub standard. One can gauge the gravity of the situation from the fact that when 3000 dialysis were required, just 1700 were being carried out in Bhimavaram alone. Moreover, patients were succumbing to renal failure because of lack of availability of dialysis. As for pensions to those with kidney failure, God alone knows their state! The technicians and therapists said that their conditions were no better than that of patients under these circumstances. They were waiting with eager anticipation for better days.

My poser to the chief minister—is it not a fact that you lack sincerity in implementing the fee reimbursement scheme which is aimed at empowering the deprived and needy with education? Is it not fake concern which you have been showing towards the weakest of the weaker sections of the society.