Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N
Kiran Kumar Reddy o Tuesday dismissed speculation that his
government would gradually do away with the welfare schemes
launched by late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
"On the contrary to what is being speculated, we will not
only continue all the welfare schemes but also introduce some
more. The schemes are not of an individual (YSR) but of the
Congress party. YSR was one of the Congress chief ministers,"
Kiran Kumar said during an informal chat with reporters here.
YSR earned fame only because of the Congress party and
not otherwise, he said in a rebuke to Kadapa MP and YSR
Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.
"The party is permanent, not individuals," he observed.
Referring to the free power supply scheme to the agriculture
sector, the chief minister said meters were being installed to
agri power sets only to ascertain the quantum of energy
consumption. "We want to pay electricity charges only
according to the usage and check wastage," he added.
Replying to another question, he said increasing VAT by
one per cent was "inevitable" as per the government of India
norms. Otherwise, the state would stand to lose a lot of
revenue.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 20:28