Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced that he would take the responsibility of providing business to auto drivers in the state and supporting them. “We cannot remove online apps like Uber, Ola, and Rapido. But we will create a special ‘Sarkari Cab’ booking app keeping in mind auto drivers and cab drivers. This app will provide financial relief”, he said.
He said that thereafter there will be no need for drivers to stand at auto stands all day and the government will set up a control room to manage this app, in which only auto and cab drivers will be members. He said that a special board will be formed soon with them as members for the welfare of auto drivers.
Launching ‘Auto Drivers’ Sevalo…’ scheme in Vijayawada on Sunday, the government provided online cheques to 2,90,669 beneficiaries across the state, worth Rs. 436 crore under this scheme. At the time Chandrababu was speaking at the meeting, messages arrived stating that Rs. 15,000 had been deposited in each person’s bank account.
When asked, ‘Did the money come in…’, the auto drivers happily showed these messages to Chandrababu. The CM said that there would be no harassment of auto drivers like in the previous government and that he would also consider canceling fines.
He also advised them not to violate traffic rules on the roads, that there would be CCTV cameras wherever they went, and not to cause unnecessary trouble. The CM said that CNG autos are running completely in Vijayawada, which is a very good thing, and that EVs will be encouraged more.
“15 months have passed since the coalition government began. Have you ever seen so many welfare programs being provided in history? We are making super six promises. Welfare that has not happened anywhere else in the country is happening in AP,” Chandrababu said.
“We celebrate Dussehra on the day when Kanakadurgamma killed the demon Mahishasura, a Praja Kanthak. We celebrate Diwali on the day when Sri Krishna killed another demon Narakasura along with Satyabhama. You have all seen how the Praja Kanthak rule has been in the state in the last five years,” he recalled Jagan Mohan Reddy regime.