On Independence Day, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy hoped the Centre would have a change of heart if not today, in the future, andaccord Special Category Status (SCS) to the state in accordance with the promise made in Parliament.
Addressing the ceremonial function after unfurling the national tricolor at the IGMC Stadium in Vijayawada onSaturday, the Chief Minister said his government was determined to achieve SCS for the state. "The government at the Centre is now not dependent on other parties (for support), so we dont see it granting SCSnow.
But, if not today, in the future with the blessings ofGod we hope the situation will change and the central government will have a change of heart and accord SCS for thefuture of the state," the Chief Minister said.
The state would nevertheless continue to raise the demandstrongly for SCS, Jagan asserted.
The Chief Minister said his government firmly believedthat decentralization (of administration) was the right policy to heal the wounds inflicted upon the state by bifurcation.
"To ensure that we do not suffer more such wounds and that the three regions of the state flourish equally, weenacted the three capitals legislation. We will soon lay the foundation stone for the ExecutiveCapital at Visakhapatnam and Judicial Capital in Kurnool," Jagan said.
The Chief Minister said his 14-month rule so far gave a true meaning to the terms 'justice, liberty, equality, fraternity' as enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution of India. In line with the Directive Principles of State Policy and Article 38 (2) enshrined in the Constitution, the stategovernment launched a gamut of welfare schemes with SCs, STs, BCs, minorities and economically-backward among the uppercastes as the main base, to remove the economic and social disparities.
"By introducing the Village Secretariat system, which is a new chapter in decentralization of administration, we haveensured Grama Swaraj as listed in the Directive Principles,"
the Chief Minister added. He noted that the government doled out Rs 59,000 crore in the last 14 months to various sections under different welfare schemes.
As part of the measures to eliminate corruption, newinitiatives like reverse tendering and judicial preview were launched while a review of the previous government's decisionsresulted in an overall saving of Rs 4,000 crore to the exchequer, he added. "Fruits of the schemes and initiatives we launched now will be fully available only after 10-20 years. These are not election schemes but those that are aimed at a better socio-economic and political transformation of thepeople of the state," Jagan summed up.
Earlier, the Chief Minister reviewed the ceremonialparade by different battalions of the Andhra Pradesh Special Police, commanded by young IPS officer Vakul Jindal. Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, Director General of Police D G Sawang, Principal Secretary (Political) Praveen Prakashand other senior officials attended.
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