VIJAYAWADA: The YSRC government is “harassing” NREGS contractors despite their good contributions to the rural development and poverty alleviation programmes, Telugu Desam chief Chandrababu Naidu alleged on Tuesday.
The former CM said the state government is even disregarding the court orders to clear the NREGS bills. “Investors are not coming forward to set up industries and contractors not in a mood to take up works in Andhra Pradesh because of the wrong policies of chief minister Jagan,” he said.
In a statement here, Naidu said a contractor, Ranjit, attempted suicide in Elur following non-payment of his bills for a long time. The government should ensure proper medical care for him in hospital. “Only a few days ago, a differently abled contractor tried to end his life in Anantapur district because of government harassment. It is improper to harass or cause mental agony to contractors who completed works under the NREGS programme,” he said.
Naidu said most of these persons who contributed to rural development belonged to the SC, ST and BC communities. “Court has issued orders asking the state government to clear the pending bills with a 12 per cent interest, but the government is not taking action. At the same time, the funds released by the Centre were diverted for other purposes.”
Naidu said the TD would fight this issue till justice is done to the contractors.
Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Politburo member Varla Ramaiah on Tuesday called for a detailed investigation by central agencies like the ED and the NIA into the alleged financial irregularities and hoarding of black money by the Hetero and Ramky companies.
He urged the prime minister and the Union home minister to order a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the “rampant financial offences” being committed by Hetero Pharma's Parthasarathy Reddy in both India and abroad.
The TD leader claimed that in IT searches, '142.87 crore in cash of '500 note bundles was seized from a Hetero hideout in the past six days.
Ramaiah said Hetero Parthasarathy Reddy and Ramky Ayodhya Rami Reddy were co-accused in the illegal assets cases of Jaganmohan Reddy. Three months ago, IT officials seized Rs 300 crore in unaccounted money and identified illegal financial transactions worth Rs 1,200 crore in Ramky. “Jagan Reddy has made Ayodhya Rami Reddy a member of the Rajya Sabha and Hetero Parthasarathy Reddy a member of the TTD trust board. How such a tainted person can be appointed on the pious trust board of TTD, he asked.
He urged Union finance minister and chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes to take action against the Hetero and other companies that were “linked to Jagan Reddy's financial network.”
