Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary Day 20: Yemmiganur’s Looms Will Prosper When YSRCP Comes To Power
November 28, Gonegandla, Kurnool District:
Divinity lies in wiping the tears of the needy. Today, a Brahmin couple, Ramesh and Padma, met me. They said they owed their happiness to my late father. Ramesh attained superannuation in 2014 after working for years in Anantapur Dairy. He told me that Chandrababu Naidu had tried every which way to shut down the dairy. It was only because my father had come to power in 2004 that the factory did not close down. Continuing in the dairy job, he could support the education of his children and marry them off. He is able to lead a peaceful life of a retiree only because of my father's decision not to shut down the dairy. My joy knew no bounds on hearing these good words coming from the bottom of their hearts. What more would anyone want than to be fondly remembered by countless grateful millions? I am fortunate to have been born as his son. This has also increased my responsibility in a great measure. As in the past, Chandrababu Naidu is now trying to force the closure of several dairy cooperatives in the state, including the Anantapur dairy, leaving thousands of dairy employees, their families and lakhs of paddy farmers utterly anxious.
Yemmiganur, which I covered today, has over 60000 people eking out their livelihoods by working on the looms. As chief minister, my father waived Rs 3.5 crore loan of the Yemmiganur handloom cooperative society. It was during his regime that 97 acres of land was acquired to set up an apparel park and a handloom cluster in Yemmiganur. Had he been alive, this work would have completed and over 6000 people would have got employment in the allied industries. This would have improved the lives of the handloom weavers of this region.
During the last elections, Chandrababu Naidu had made many promises and given a host of assurances. He wove a dream world with his poll promises such as a handloom cluster for every district, interest-free loan to the tune of Rs 1 lakh, supply of subsidised yarn, pucca house and a shed worth Rs 1.5 lakh for every weaver family. Once the polls were over, he doesn't even bother to remember them. There was time was when Yemmiganur cooperative handloom society had branches across the state. Today, they have all been shut. The loom industry here presents a sorry picture. I shall try to reopen the looms and make Yemmiganur smile again.
Yemmiganur constituency suffers from acute shortage of both irrigation and drinking water. At a time when the water availability from Tungabhadra Low Level Canal (LLC) was dwindling, visionary leader YSR had launched Pulikanuma project to stabilise the LLC ayacut. As estimated 90 per cent of the work was completed during his time. If the remaining work is completed, 26000 acres would be irrigated. But, the government of the day does not have the will to complete this. We shall complete these projects launched with a long-term vision at the earliest and provide irrigation and drinking water as soon as the People's Government becomes a reality.
Lastly, here is my poser to the CM. During your earlier stint, you had gifted away several public sector enterprises to private parties and closed down several cooperative dairies. You are now continuing with the same policy once again. Is it not aimed at benefiting your proxies, private managements close to you and Heritage group, owned by you? Is it justifiable to render countless families jobless and homeless and deprive them of their livelihoods just to ensure that Heritage prospers?
