In the realm of governance, actions speak louder than words. The first few months of any government set the tone for its tenure, revealing its priorities, capabilities, and vision. When we compare the first eight months of the YSRCP government under Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy with the current NDA alliance government led by Chandrababu Naidu, the contrast is glaring and undeniable.
First Eight months of Governance: From Progress to Neglect
- YSR Rythu Bharosa vs. Broken Promises to Farmers: YSRCP supported farmers with ₹13,500 annually under Rythu Bharosa. NDA promised to increase this to ₹20,000 but even halted the existing investment support of ₹13,500 during this Kharif season, leaving farmers in distress and highlighting a blatant disregard for their welfare.
- Amma Vodi vs. Educational Burdens: YSRCP’s Amma Vodi provided ₹15,000 per mother annually to underprivileged mothers, boosting school enrollment. NDA promised to provide ₹15,000 per kid to all kids who are enrolled into schools but has completely done away with the scheme.
- Nadu-Nedu vs. Educational Neglect: YSRCP’s Nadu-Nedu transformed government schools with improved infrastructure, IB curriculum and TOFEL training for students from 3rd class. NDA has not introduced any comparable educational reforms, and stopped initiatives like IB and TOFEL. Further NDA has delayed fee reimbursements worth ₹3,900 crores jeopardizing the future of 12 lakh college students.
- Interim Relief (IR) for Employees and Pensioners: YSRCP swiftly provided interim relief to both employees and pensioners, easing the financial burden of lakhs of families. In contrast, the NDA, despite promising to increase DA and IR, has failed to pay employee salaries on time. Last month, many employees received their salaries between 5th to 15th, and this month, none have been paid even after the 4th.
- Disha Act & App vs. Rising Insecurity: YSRCP implemented stringent laws and an SOS app for women’s safety. Under NDA, crimes against women and children have surged, law enforcement is weaker, and public safety is compromised, amplified by a flawed liquor policy encouraging belt shops.
- Aarogya Sri Expansion vs. Healthcare Collapse: YSRCP expanded Aarogya Sri, ensuring timely medical services with prompt hospital payments. NDA’s failure to clear dues has crippled the scheme, halting services and endangering lives.
- Sachivalayam System vs. Administrative Apathy: YSRCP created 1.6 lakh new jobs through the Sachivalayam system, bringing governance to every village. In contrast, the NDA government dismantled the volunteer system and failed to strengthen local governance, forcing citizens to travel long distances for basic services. Now, it is also jeopardising the future of nearly 56,000 state government employees under the pretext of Sachivalayam rationalisation.
- Volunteer System vs. System Dismantling: YSRCP’s appointment of 4 lakh volunteers ensured welfare schemes reached every household, creating temporary employment and fostering grassroots governance. NDA not only failed to enhance this system but dismantled it entirely, betraying promises of retaining volunteers with an increased honorarium of ₹10,000 and thus increasing barriers for people to access government services.
- Stabilising Livelihoods vs. Broken Promises: YSRCP launched schemes like Vahana Mitra within the first few months of coming to power, even though it was not promised in the election manifesto. This scheme provides annual financial support to auto and cab drivers, stabilising their livelihoods. In contrast, the NDA government has completely failed to implement even its manifesto promises, the so-called “Super Six.”
- Debt-Driven Governance vs. Fiscal Responsibility: Chandrababu Naidu, who once criticised YSRCP for spending on welfare schemes, announced unprecedented freebies under the “Super Six” promises but implemented none of them. Despite borrowing an unprecedented ₹1,12,750 crore in just six months—a record amount—none of this debt has translated into public welfare. Instead, ₹31,000 crore was borrowed in the name of Amaravati, but these funds have been diverted to benefit Naidu and his close associates, jeopardising the state’s financial stability and burdening future generations.
NDA’s Misplaced Priorities: Governance Failures Rooted in Self-Interest
- Tirupati Stampede: A tragic incident caused by gross crowd mismanagement, resulting in six preventable deaths. This alarming governance failure has severely eroded public trust. There is a larger belief that the tragedy is linked to the inauspicious politicization of the sacred Tirumala Laddu and the name of Lord Venkateswara by Chandrababu Naidu and the NDA, exploiting religious sentiments for political distraction.
- Vijayawada Floods: A disaster turned catastrophic due to a lack of proactive measures, poor planning, and delayed response, leading to widespread displacement and destruction.
- Davos Disappointment: While other states secured investments, Andhra Pradesh returned empty-handed from the World Economic Forum after spending 30 Cr of people’s money on the trip to Davos, exposing the government’s lack of strategic foresight. The sharp decline in GST collections further highlights economic mismanagement.
- Price Hikes: Increased electricity charges and registration fees have added to the financial burden of common people, contradicting promises of economic relief.
Governance Reflects Priorities
The first eight months under Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy’s leadership were marked by a clear focus on people-centric governance, welfare schemes, and inclusive development. In stark contrast, even after sourcing a debt of ₹1,12,750 crore in the first six months itself, the Naidu-led government has failed to deliver on welfare schemes, halted development projects like Nadu-Nedu and is even not paying IR and DA to employees. The entire government mechanism is focused on diverting the cash brought in through debt keeping the state’s future at stake into private pockets.
This comparison isn’t just about achievements and failures; it’s about the fundamental difference in priorities. YSRCP put the people first. The NDA government has put itself first—and in doing so, has lost the confidence of the very people it was meant to serve.
