Hyderabad, November 02: Chief Minister K Rosaiah has said that his government will strive to implement all the schemes initiated by the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in the next four and a half years. He was addressing a huge gathering of women of Self-Help Groups for whom the government launched YSR Abhaya Hastam scheme, which provides pension and insurance coverage to them, at Chevella in Rangareddy district today. “After becoming the chief minister for the second time Rajasekhara Reddy was keen to implement the schemes without irregularities and wanted every pie reached the needy. My Cabinet colleagues and I take pledge that we will implement the schemes conceived by him without loopholes,’’ he stated.
Describing Rajasekhara Reddy as a man of affection for the poor, Rosaiah said that the former was used to think of new schemes every day. “I was afraid of those schemes and used to sound him about the financial constraints the schemes might entail. But Rajasekhara Reddy used to say `Anna, I have been launching schemes and you have been funding them for the past four years. They will go on. Do not worry…,’’ Rosaiah recalled.
There was no scale to measure Reddy’s heroism, dareness and love for people, Rosaiah stated.Speaking about various schemes floated by Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister said that in 2003 only 10 lakh people gott a pension of Rs 50 and now about 71.53 lakh people were getting a pension of Rs 200 every month. The present government would give pensions to more, he said.
A scheme like Rajiv Arogya Sri was nowhere in the world, Rosaiah said in tribute to his predecessor. Loans at the rate of 4 per cent interest to Self Help Groups and Rs 2 a kg rice scheme were launched during Reddy’s regime, Rosaiah recalled.
Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy said that no one in the country could match Rajasekhara Reddy in taking up welfare schemes. Recalling the observation of Mahathma Gandhi that educating a male would only develop his personality but educating a female would develop a whole family, Jaipal Reddy said that Rajasekhara Reddy had translated Mahatma’s thoughts into action.
“While former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had provided 30 per cent reservation to women in the local bodies, Sonia Gandhi increased the quota to 50 per cent,’’ Reddy said.
Rural Development Minister V Vasantha Kumar said that Rajasekhara Reddy was much concerned about the welfare of women in their advancing age and conceived the Abhaya Hastam scheme.
Though the launch of the scheme was delayed about 35 lakh enrolled themselves under the scheme, he said and added that the enrolment would continue in November also. The minister said that in November 25 lakh would be enrolled.
Home Minister Sabita Reddy said that Abhaya Hastam scheme was a boon given by YS Rajasekhara Reddy to women.
The Chief Minister launched Abhaya Hastam by handing over the policy certificates to Saritha of East Godavari district and Saraswathi of Mahaboobnagar district. He also handed over the first pension in the form of a cheque, which could be encashed in December, to P Mangamma.
The Chief Minister unveiled the statue of YS Rajasekhara Reddy and offered floral tributes to him.
–Agencies