YSR Congress Party president and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday promised a pension of 2,000 each to weavers on coming to power.
Speaking at the ‘Cheneta Garjana’ programme in Dharmavaram where several from the weaver community have been protesting for more than a month demanding release of subsidy dues for raw silk, Mr. Jagan showered promises on people, especially the weaver community.
“Our government will come to power in a year. I promise to give not ₹1,000 (as subsidy for raw silk per month), but ₹2,000, ” the YSRCP leader even as he sought to remind them that the TDP government owed the weaver community subsidy dues worth several crores in Anantapur district alone. The government had increased the subsidy on raw silk from ₹600 to ₹1,000 per month. However, Mr. Jagan said, neither the subsidy owed till then — for 13 months — nor the increased subsidy thereafter, with the exception of two months, had been paid.
Houses for the poor
“You work every day to make ends meet. You suffer from knee pain and other ailments from 45-50 years itself. (My) Father (Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy) gave you pension at 50 years. Your brother (Mr. Jagan) will give it from 45 years itself,” he said.
He also promised to build 25 lakh houses for the poor and accused the TDP government of doing nothing on the housing front.
Mr. Jagan alleged that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had cheated all sections of people, including weavers.