The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) , if voted to power in the 2024 elections, will exert pressure on the Central government to conduct a caste-wise census and ensure financial support for all the communities belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), its national general secretary N. Lokesh has promised.
Taking part in an interaction with the members of the OBC communities here on July 27 (Thursday) as a part of his Yuva Galam padayatra, Mr. Lokesh said that though the previous TDP government in Andhra Pradesh had adopted a resolution in this regard, it did not materialise owing to the change in guard in the State.
The Central government should form a separate Ministry for OBCs so that a focused efforts could be put in for uplift of the communities, he opined
Expressing concern over the discontinuation of the ‘Videshi Vidya’ scheme by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, the TDP leader said that students who went abroad during the previous TDP tenure for higher education were put to trouble.
Financial assistance for higher education abroad would be revived if the TDP is voted to power, said Mr. Lokesh who has covered about 2,200 km and 60 Assembly constituencies during his Yuva Galam padayatra so far.
‘’It is six months now since I left home. It is people’s support what is giving me the inspiration. I will walk without a break till I reach Itchapuram,” he said.
Atrocities on BCs
Alleging that atrocities on BCs were on the rise during the YSRCP tenure and cases were being foisted upon the OBCs for questioning the illegal activities of the YSRCP leaders, he said a law on the lines of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities would be enacted within a year if the TDP come to power.
‘’Wait for nine months. Within 100 days of TDP coming to power, the perpetrators of the murder of the BC youth near Bapatla will be punished,” he promised the family of the victim, adding that he would take care of education expenses of the victim’s sister. He faulted the Chief Minister for not visiting the bereaved family.
Assuring support to artisans by reviving the ‘Adarana‘ scheme, Mr. Lokesh said handloom weavers were in trouble due to withdrawal of input subsidy. He promised capital and input subsidies, and technology and marketing support to weavers.
‘Neera cafe’
Power subsidy would be extended to washermen who put washing machines distributed during the TDP tenure in disuse owing to hefty hike in power tariff. In response to the demand of toddy tappers, he said ‘Neera cafe‘ would be promoted to make ‘healthy palm toddy’ available.
