Will govt in AP also be outsourced?: YSRCP

Visakhapatnam: YSRCP Anakapalli district president and former Minister Gudivada Amarnath came down heavily on Chandrababu Naidu-led government, alleging that it is advocating systematic privatisation of industries, healthcare and institutions.

Speaking to the media in Visakhapatnam on Monday, Amarnath said the decision to develop 22 MSME parks through private entities instead of AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) reflects the government’s intent to surrender public assets to corporate players. “If everything is to be run by private players, why does Andhra Pradesh even need a Chief Minister or a Cabinet?” he questioned.

Amarnath said APIIC is an institution that developed more than 550 industrial parks and generated employment for scores over the years. “Yet it is now being sidelined deliberately. Under the garb of PPP model, valuable lands, especially assigned lands assigned for Dalits and backward communities, are being exploited. In areas like Gopalapatnam, Mudasarlova and Parawada where land values cost crores per acre are sold at throw away prices to benefit a few,” Amarnath pointed out.

The former Minister stated that it is clear the government is pushing privatisation across all sectors, including education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and industries. He wondered whether the government too would be outsourced next. He said welfare systems have been weakened as reimbursement dues of over Rs 5,000 crore remain unpaid and Aarogyasri bills pending for around Rs 4,500 crore.

Brushing the allegations made by the ruling party aside that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government indulged in destruction, Amarnath asserted that it delivered real development. In the previous tenure, Amarnath recalled that Andhra Pradesh topped in the ease of doing business rankings, established three industrial corridors, initiated ports at Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam and Mulapeta, promoted blue economy and strengthened public healthcare through Aarogyasri.

He reiterated that improving 45,000 government schools, strengthening healthcare and supporting farmers were acts of development and certainly not destruction.

The YSRCP leader criticised the coalition government for being publicity-driven with no real outcomes so far. “Despite tall claims of initiating AI city, drone city, quantum city and future city, nothing has materialised so far even after 20 months of the rule. The state is borrowing Rs 500 crore every day, accumulating nearly Rs 2.8 lakh crore in 20 months, without creating productive assets, while public money is being spent largely on publicity for the Chief Minister and his son,” he pointed out.

Amarnath said that failure to attract potential bidders for medical college privatisation itself exposes public resistance. He stated that policy decisions are made to suit corporate interests and private individuals.