CPM state secretary V. Srinivasa Rao demanded that the demand for special status be revived for the state. He said that if the status is given to the state, investments and industries will come and employment will increase for the people. He cautioned both TDP and Jana Sena that it is a big mistake to put aside the special status agenda.
Explaining the decisions of the CPM’s 27th state conference held in Nellore, he told the media in Vijayawada that investments and industries will come only if the state gets the status and employment will also increase. He recalled that the JDU is constantly fighting to provide special status to Bihar.
He lamented that the status that our state should get is being mortgaged by the regional parties of the state. He said that the funds and packages that are legally due are not being brought. He welcomed Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s recognition of the facts that he is not in a position to bear the burdens if they are imposed on the people.
Srinivasa Rao said that the economic survey presented in Parliament has made it clear that people’s incomes are falling and they are not in a position to bear the burdens. He said that the economy will move forward only if people’s incomes increase. He asked them to think about things that will increase people’s income by giving subsidies.
The CPM leader questioned whether Chandrababu, who campaigned in the elections that the government treasury was empty, knew that the people were in debt? He lamented that the coalition government had put the blame of the electricity charges that the previous government had set in on the people.
Stating that the government was planning to sell government assets to fill the state treasury, he warned that they would not support this decision. The CPM leader advised the state government to focus on the arrears due to the state from the center.
He said that the center already has arrears of Rs. 20,000 crores and should give funds to the Polavaram displaced people. He deplored that the government, which is increasing the Polavaram construction estimates to benefit the contracts, is not paying attention to the displaced people.
Srinivasa Rao asked why the government, which is revising the project estimates, is not increasing the rehabilitation package? He demanded that the package be given to the displaced people who have completed 18 years of age. Moreover, he deplored that not a single rupee has been released so far in the budget announced for the backward districts last year.