The Hindu : YSR promises fair deal to women

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR promises fair deal to women

By Our Special Correspondent

A DWCRA member, Ananta Lakshmi, airing her grievances at the DWCRA members' regional meeting in Vijayawada on Tuesday. The former CLP leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the CPI(M) State secretary, B.V. Raghavulu, the former MLA, K. Subba Raju, and the AIDWA secretary, Rama Devi, are also seen.

VIJAYAWADA, JAN. 20. The former CLP leader, Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy, has said the Congress will undo the injustice meted out to women during the TDP rule by implementing a series of measures for them , if they come to power.

He lashed out at the TDP for doling out benefits to "yellow shirts'' in implementation of welfare schemes while depriving genuine beneficiaries of their due share. "The State has gone back on all fronts, particularly women empowerment, during the eight-year rule of the TDP. The ruling party is utilising women as tool to win the election by announcing sops which will not be implemented once the polls are over,'' he said. The Government was, however, encouraging liquor consumption by permitting belt shops even in remote hamlets and making excess payments to liquor companies. The excess payments, estimated at Rs 550 crores, made between April 1997 and June 1999 were pocketed by TDP leaders, the TDP president, N Chandrababu Naidu, in particular, he said. "Even the court has faulted the Government in the liquor payments case and wanted a comprehensive inquiry into the issue. Any other responsible Government would have resigned owning moral responsibility, but Mr Naidu is continuing in the post as he has little respect for probity in public life,'' Dr. Reddy said.

Participating in the regional convention of DWCRA coordination committee here, the senior Congress leader announced a spree of sops that would be implemented in the interest of women if the party was voted to power. They included provision of loans at reduced interest rates to DWCRA women, enhance the revolving fund to Rs 25,000 from Rs 10,000, increase in old-age and widow pensions to Rs 225, ensuring minimum wages and other financial benefits to DWCRA women engaged in the mid-day meals scheme and sanitation works and provision of training to rural and urban women to enable them to take up self-employment schemes. The party would also implement "intintiki deepam scheme'' for giving free power to BPL families with a single bulb.

The CPI (M) State secretary, B.V Raghavulu, described the sops announced by the Government as efforts to book votes in advance.

The tall claims of the TDP on women empowerment had been exposed and women were now prepared to unseat the TDP in the next elections.

Earlier, the DWCRA coordination committee president, D Ramadevi, presided over the meeting.

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