Fin implication apart, Jagan firm on fortifying support base
The pandemic had adversely hit the finances. As against the projected revenue of Rs 65,928 crore in 2019-20, the State’s actual realisation was restricted to Rs 57,837 crore. The revenue fell in 2020-21 to Rs 57,427 crore as against projected revenue of Rs 74,893 crore
AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
Severe financial stress caused by two long years of pandemic impact and post-bifurcation blues, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Government has completed three years in office with focus on implementing populist schemes with an aim to further consolidate its support base.
Brushing aside criticism by TDP and BJP that the State is pushed to a debt trap, the government prefers to shift the blame to what it terms 'ill-conceived policies' of the erstwhile N Chandrababu Naidu-led Government and the denial of Special Category Status (SCS), considered a closed chapter now, by the Centre. Social engineering by implementing Navaratnalu-the nine promises made in its election manifesto, the YSR Congress Party is also credited with introduction of village/ward secretariats to take governance closer to the people.
Denying the Opposition charge of pushing the State into a debt trap, the government claims that the pandemic had adversely hit the finances. As against the projected revenue of Rs 65,928 crore in 2019-20, the State's actual realisation was restricted to Rs 57,837 crore. The revenue fell in 2020-21 to Rs 57,427 crore as against projected revenue of Rs 74,893 crore. Similarly, during 2021-22, the expected revenue was Rs 85,740 crore compared to actual revenue of Rs 73,629 crore. The implementation of pay revision for government employees entailed a heavy burden which led to developing cold feet over abolishing Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The government also had to face flak from the CAG which had stated excess disbursement of Rs 1.10 lakh crore over the authorisation made by the legislature during 2020-21. Regular borrowing of loans have also led to criticism in various quarters.
However, in the budget for 2022-23, the government announced to spend Rs 2.56 lakh crore against a projected revenue deficit of Rs17,036 crore which the Opposition described as a jugglery of figures.
After YSRCP obtained a brute majority in the Assembly with 151 in its kitty out of 175 seats and 22 of 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, Jagan Mohan Reddy formed the government by springing a surprise with the induction of five Deputy Chief Ministers--one each from SC, ST, BC, Kapu and minorities. This he continued again during the recent Cabinet rejig where majority of Ministers were dropped as per his prior announcement to give scope to new faces.
As part of social justice, the vigorous implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) redefined the economics of inclusiveness in the State. Changing the grammar of education, breathing life into healthcare system, sowing confidence and hope of good returns among farmers, setting up of Rythu Bharosa Kendras, which won international acclaim, changing the rural landscape with a decentralised social delivery mechanism, ushering in gram swaraj in the form of village and ward secretariats, empowering women and marginalised sections of society economically, socially and politically are some of the sweeping reforms the Chief Minister had brought in during the past three years.
It was on May 30, 2019, he took the oath saying, 'I, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy….' amidst thunderous applause. Since then the Chief Minister has won all elections hands down from Lok Sabha to local bodies blowing the Opposition the smithereens and relegating it to irrelevance. Besides effectively handling the Covid pandemic, the Chief Minister rounded off the third year with an eventful participation at the Davos World Economic Forum (WEF) 52nd annual meeting by signing MoUs worth Rs.1.25 lakh crore with focus on playing a pioneering role in the decarbonised economy.
The State has so far disbursed about Rs.1.40 lakh crore under DBT and also non-DBT schemes like Dr YSR Aarogyasri, Jagananna Gorumuddha and the like during 2019-2022. "During the three years in office, YSRCP has fulfilled 95 per cent of poll promises. Our government has done an excellent job in administrative reforms. Our Chief Minister's revolutionary steps have yielded the desired results," said YSRCP national general secretary V Vijayasai Reddy while participating in celebrations on Monday at Amaravati. He said the party is confident of winning a bumper majority in 2024.
He said the focus areas are YSR Cheyutha and YSR Asara benefitted lakhs of women financially to build their families, Amma Vodi, Vasati Deevena and Vidya Deevena enabling the flow of funds into mothers' bank accounts. The distribution of 30 lakh house-sites among the poor is also described as a big milestone.
The critics of YSRCP say the government had to face embarrassment due to certain adverse judicial orders. The trifurcation of State Capital could not be implemented due to AP High Court's order in March. The order in response to Amaravati farmers and others directed the government to implement Amaravati Master Plan in a time-bound manner bringing uncertainty to the plan to make Visakhapatnam the executive capital.
Putting up a brave face, when the issue came up for discussion in the Assembly, the Chief Minister in no uncertain words declared that the government will go ahead with its decentralisation plan. Now the State political climate is hotting up with YSRCP launching a Social Justice Bus Yatra to explain the achievements of the government. On the other hand, buoyed by its successful Mahanadu held at Ongole, the TDP is also planning to undertake a Statewide yatra to expose 'failures' of the ruling party.
