Centre committed to the development of AP: Kishan Reddy

Tirupati: The Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and development of North Eastern States G Kishan Reddy reiterated that the central government is committed towards the development of Andhra Pradesh. Addressing the media before flying to Vijayawada after completion of his two day tour to Tirupati and Tirumala on Thursday, the Minister listed various schemes through which the central government has been allocating crores of rupees to the state.

Apart from various other schemes, the state got Rs.28000 crores for housing to the poor. For several other schemes the state government could not contribute its 40 percent share due to which they are failed to take off. He urged the state government to focus on this and not to change the names of central government schemes.

He asserted that, as a cabinet minister from the Telugu states, he is ready to take initiative in resolving the water disputes between the two states and other bifurcation commitments. NDA government's policy is that all water disputes should be resolved amicably between the stakeholders. There should not be any differences between AP and Telangana and they both should move ahead towards development.

He said that the tourism sector was the biggest victim to the Covid pandemic across the globe on which various countries have been deliberating to take corrective steps. India is no exception to this. But, his ministry has been consulting various stakeholders to prepare a comprehensive action plan for tourism development. If the Covid cases completely recede, the government would come up with a plan of action to be implemented from January 1, 2022. This plan will be announced in a week. The ministry will move ahead with the slogan 'Dekho Apna Desh'.

Kishan Reddy found fault with the opposition parties who stalled the Parliament and did not even allow the Prime Minister to introduce his council of ministers in which a large number of BCs, SCs, STs and women find place for the first time. They did not allow for discussion on important bills like OBC among others.

This was the reason, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the ministers to go to the people to seek their blessings. As part of it he kick started his Jan Ashirwad Yatra from Tirupati and seek Lord Venkateswara's blessings as well as the people's before moving to Vijayawada and Telangana. He said that since Modi took over the reins of power at the Centre there was no statutory commission for BCs which the PM corrected and even provided reservations in educational institutions for OBCs.

Because of Modi's initiative, the country could take up a largest vaccination drive in the world and so far vaccinated 56 crores of people. No one can say whether the third wave will hit. But with people's cooperation in practicing appropriate Covid behaviour, the country can drive away the virus from the country. The government is committed to give vaccination free of cost to each and every Indian.

MP CM Ramesh, state President Somu Veerraju, MLC Vakati Narayana Reddy, Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Dayakar Reddy, G Bhanu Prakash Reddy, Samanchi Srinivas, K Ajay Kumar, Varaprasad and other leaders were present.