PNS | Vijayawada
Member of Rajya Sabha and national general secretary of YSRCP, V Vijayasai Reddy, has said that the Andhra Pradesh government, led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, is actively working towards achieving its objectives of poverty eradication and reducing economic inequality.
On Saturday, the MP highlighted the lack of consensus on the number of people living below the poverty line in India. While some economists estimate that there are only for crore individuals living in poverty, others suggest a figure as high as 37 crore. It is widely accepted that poverty in India has significantly declined over the past three decades. Nevertheless, there remains controversy regarding the actual number of Indian citizens living in poverty. Reddy emphasized that many economists argue that addressing economic inequality is of greater importance in a country with a population exceeding 140 crores, rather than solely focusing on poverty eradication.
Reddy mentioned that the YSR Congress Party government, which came into power in Andhra Pradesh four years ago, has prioritized bridging the gap between the rich and the poor since its inception. The YSR Congress Party has introduced several welfare schemes named Navaratna before the April-May 2019 elections, with the aim of reducing inequalities among the state’s 5.5 crore population, while simultaneously implementing robust plans to eradicate poverty.
The MP underscored the widely acknowledged notion among sociologists that poverty is a distressing and socially detrimental issue. However, he also emphasized the equally harmful consequences of persistent economic disparities among individuals from the same region and speaking the same language. Differences in income and resources often breed violence and animosity between different communities. Therefore, under the leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the government has implemented numerous welfare cash transfer programs. These programs, administered by the armed forces, aim to increase the amount of cash in the bank accounts of the poor and low-income groups, enhancing their purchasing power like never before. Vijayasai Reddy highlighted the positive impact of these programs in lifting many impoverished individuals out of poverty.
On August 15, 2019, during his first Independence Day speech after hoisting the national flag at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium in Vijayawada, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy addressed the extreme political, economic, and social inequalities prevailing in India. He stated that 27 percent of the country’s population is illiterate, with the figure reaching 33 percent in the state. To address this issue, he announced the introduction of the Amma Vodi Scheme, scheduled to commence in January of the following year.
Vijayasai Reddy further affirmed that over the past four years, the YSR Congress government has been actively working towards reducing disparities among the people of Andhra Pradesh in all areas. He cited several surveys indicating that the implementation of existing welfare schemes through cash transfer processes has led to a reduction in poverty and a gradual decrease in income disparities among the population.
