Naidu Government Committed to Restoring 34% BC Quota: Savitha
Addressing a coordination meeting with chairpersons of various BC corporations at the BC Bhavan in Gollapudi, Vijayawada, Ms Savitha said the government was giving final touches to a BC Protection Act so that it could withstand legal scrutiny.
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh BC Welfare Minister S. Savitha on Saturday said the Telugu Desam-led coalition government was committed to restoring 34 per cent reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in local bodies and that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s administration was enhancing the community’s self-respect and political representation.
Addressing a coordination meeting with chairpersons of various BC corporations at the BC Bhavan in Gollapudi, Vijayawada, Ms Savitha said the government was giving final touches to a BC Protection Act so that it could withstand legal scrutiny.
She said consultations had been held with the Cabinet sub-committee, MLAs, MLCs and MPs, besides representatives of corporations representing 156 BC communities. The proposed legislation would provide stringent punishment for insulting BCs on the basis of their caste or occupation and for social boycotts, she said. Special courts would be established in districts and provisions were being framed to complete investigations within two months.
Savitha said the BC Protection Act would be the first of its kind in the country and recalled that TD founder N.T. Rama Rao had introduced reservations for BCs. She alleged that the previous YSRC government had reduced the BC quota in local bodies from 34 per cent to 24 per cent after coming to power in 2019, causing political damage to the community.
The minister claimed that the coalition government had fulfilled around 90 per cent of its election promises in 26 months, with BCs emerging among the major beneficiaries of its welfare schemes. She said the government was simultaneously pursuing development, including works in Amaravati and Polavaram, road construction and industrial growth across the state.
She said the government would soon implement Adarana 3.0 and urged BC corporation chairpersons to take the coalition’s welfare and development initiatives to the people.
Claiming that the coalition would win the forthcoming local body elections, Ms Savitha said former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was apprehensive about another electoral defeat.
The minister paid floral tributes to TD founder N.T. Rama Rao and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule before the meeting. BC welfare department secretary Satyanarayana and several corporation chairpersons attended.
