The young generation makes a special contribution to the development of the country. In Andhra Pradesh today, youth icon Nara Lokesh’s ‘YuvaGalam’ from January 27this set to give its young generation new hope and direction.
As the Leader of the Opposition, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had made many grandiose promises to the people of Andhra Pradesh in general and the youth in particular during his so- called PrajaSankalpa Yatra. He said that Special Category Status could be achieved only with YSRCP in power and that such status would in turn help create jobs. He promised to issue job calendar every year to fill the vacancies and offered to regularize the services of contract workers.He promised 75% quota for local youth in private sector jobs, reservation in government tenders, and other benefits. After coming to power, he did not fulfill a single promise in the last four years. Instead, 10 lakh people have lost their jobs in the state. Due to unemployment and the prevailing uncertainty in the State, youngsters, after completing graduation, post-graduation, are migrating to other states and countries. In all, 4,56,208 youth committed suicide over the last three years in the country as stated in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Rameshwar. This figure includes 21,575 young people from Andhra who committed suicide due to various reasons, including unemployment. At 7.7%, the rate of unemployment in Andhra Pradesh is significantly higher than the national average of 6.1%.
‘Yuvagalam’ was taken up by Nara Lokesh not only to give voice to people who hitherto had no voice, but also to unite the youth in the state and bring about political awareness among them to transform the political system. Nara Lokesh, during his march across the State for 400 days, would cover 4,000 KMs, galvanizing the youth and giving them a distinct voice. As the National General Secretary of the Telugu Desam Party, he has proved to be a ray of hope for distraught youth. He will expose the miserable failures of the YSJaganmohanReddy government on all fronts.
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, which accounts for 80% of all employment in Andhra Pradesh,is going through existential crisis due to lack of government support in form of subsidies, low power prices and protection from other hassles. The prices of land given to MSMEs in industrial parks have been increased by more than five times under the YSRCP-led government. The previous Telugu Desam-led governmenthad encouraged people belonging to SCs, STs, Minorities and BCs to set up MSMEs by providing them subsidies and liberalizing norms to do business. The TDP government was able to catalyze more than 5,13,652 jobs in the industrial sector alone in five years, which was also confirmed in the AP Legislative Assembly by the late Mekapati Gowtham Reddy, who was the then Minister for IT and Industries. In contrast, the Jagan government has utterly failed in creating any jobs over the last four years and had in fact snatched away prevailing jobs.
The previous-TDP government, under the leadership of Nara Chandrababu Naidu, hadinitiated welfare schemes for the unemployed youth. The TDP government gave Rs. 2,000 as unemployment allowance to youth and linked the allowance with skill development programs oriented towards them.
During the TDP government, YuvaNestam scheme — brainchild of then Minister for IT and Panchayat Raj Nara Lokesh — was launched. Under YuvaNestam, skill development was planned, along with self-employment schemes and apprenticeships through tie-ups with various industries. The TDPled government had conducted two District Selection Committee (DSC) examinations for recruiting teachers and accordingly 17,591 teachers were recruited. Jagan promised Mega DSCs every year buthas not yet recruited a single teacher.Other TDP schemes such as Government-run study circles,Civil services coaching centres, Overseas scholarships and loans to youth have been removed by the YSRCP-led government.
Over the last three years alone, AP has lost investments planned by Adani data to the tune of Rs. 70 thousand crores, Reliance ElectronicsRs. 15 thousand cr, Lulu groupRs 2,500 cr,Singapore Startup companiesRs 50 thousand cr, GannavaramMedhaTowers, among other IT companies.Franklin Templeton,HSBC,IBM, etc., also left AP due to the policies of the YSRCP-led government.
It is appalling to note how frequently violence and abuse are perpetrated against women and young girls in Andhra Pradesh. Gang-rape, kidnapping, physical and emotional violence as well as other types of crime are not isolated events, but the outcome of drugs, unemployment, and social crises in Andhra Pradesh.
When Lokesh was minister for IT, Panchayat Raj &Rural Development in the erstwhile TDP government, the wing received 53 state and national awards. Besides, 32,000 IT jobs were created in the State.
Previously, Nara Chandrababu Naidu undertook padayatra on 2nd October 2012 that lasted 208 days and covered 2,817 KM. At the age of 63, Chandrababu Naidu covered 16 districts and 95 constituencies resulting in TDP coming to power.
Now Nara Lokesh’s 400-day ‘YuvaGalam’ has kindled hopes among the people of Andhra Pradesh about their rosy future. YuvaGalam is bound to be a milestone in the political history of Andhra Pradesh.
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