No Opposition in Andhra Pradesh, Accountability is More, Says Pawan Kalyan

Kakinada: Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has said the state government will take steps to fulfil the essential needs of the people including arranging the provisions for drinking water in every village.

Addressing the party cadre at Pithapuram on Monday, Kalyan said he aimed to provide drinking water to all villages and make the state a role model to the country in this respect. “We will also take steps for the protection of women.”

The deputy chief minister said there was no opposition to the alliance government in Andhra Pradesh as the YSRC got just a few seats in the assembly. “Therefore we must make ourselves accountable to the people and the government, highlight the issues in the assembly, and find solutions to the problems faced by the people.’’

Kalyan also said that a resurvey will be conducted on pensions, as suggested by district collector Shan Mohan. The issue would be brought to the notice of the chief minister, he said.

He said there was large scale smuggling during the term of the previous government. Check post officials allowed passage to the vehicles of smugglers when they mentioned the name of former Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy or Mithun Reddy. But such vehicles were caught in Nepal as there officials “don’t know who are Peddireddys,” he said.

PK reached the Pithapuram constituency on Monday, the first time after he took charge as deputy chief minister and holding the departments of Panchayat Raj, Forests etc.

The deputy CM participated in the pension distribution programme and the Jana Sena party workers’ meeting.

While a party worker pointed out to him that the YSRC has been reduced to 11 seats, Pawan Kalyan said that there is no point in targeting YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. “Our government would not play vindictive politics. But corrective steps will be taken to mitigate the damage caused by the wrong policies of the previous government. However, no person will be targeted.”

He heard that some ineligible persons were taking pensions. A resurvey would be needed, he said.

Kalyan said he wanted to take the salary for his post. But, after reviewing the Panchayat Raj department, he found there was a serious funds shortage to the department and hence he decided not to take a salary.

He said that the previous government could not even pay a matching grant to the central government funds. "If the government paid a matching grant, the central government would have granted 80 to 90 per cent of the funds." He said that he was not keen on spending money for furniture for his office. If needed, he would bear the expenses.

He said Pithapuram would be developed as an ideal constituency.

The deputy CM said irregularities were committed in the volunteer system as the volunteers used to take `100 to `300 from the pensioners in some of the villages during the YSRC period. “The present government is thinking of providing employment to volunteers.”

PK said he would visit Pithapuram every alternative week to review the progress in development works in the constituency. The pollution levels would be checked.