Naidu backtracks on pre-poll promises, kicks up political row

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu's latest statement that he will not be able to implement some of the "Super Six" guarantees promised by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition before the elections till the improvement of state financial position, has triggered a political debate in the state.

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

HYDERABAD:

While speaking to reporters at the state secretariat last week, Naidu referred to a recent NITI Aayog report on the crippling of state finances during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government in 2022-23, Naidu said he was not in a position to implement some of the promised welfare schemes due to financial constraints.

Some of the schemes, which Naidu had promised before the last elections under the "Super Six" guarantees are: free travel for women in state-run RTC buses, payment of ₹20,000 to each farmer under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme, ₹15,000 to women under the Thalliki Vandanam (for sending children to schools) scheme, ₹1,500 under the Adabidda Nidhi scheme, and an unemployment allowance of ₹3,000 for jobless youth.

He said that if there were sufficient funds in the state exchequer, he wouldn't hesitate for a moment to implement the welfare schemes.

"I cannot lie to the people and keep them in dark about the situation. I am revealing the factual position so that people can understand the reality," the chief minister said.

He clarified that funds allocated for projects such as Polavaram, Amaravati, and the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant cannot be diverted for welfare schemes.

"Once the financial situation stabilises, welfare schemes such as Thalli Ki Vandanam and Annadata Sukhibhava will be implemented," he said.

He said excessive loans with high-interest rates, lack of capital expenditure, increased taxes, and other issues during the YSRCP's tenure had pushed Andhra Pradesh into a severe debt crisis.