YSR’s Aarogyasri beats PM’s Ayushman: KCR

TELANGANA STATE Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao praised the late Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, chief minister of the erstwhile combined state of Andhra Pradesh, for introducing a great health scheme for poor people.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday informed the members of the Legislative Assembly that he had told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Aarogyasri is a better health scheme than the Prime Minister’s Ayushman Bharath.

While replying to a debate on the thanksgiving motion to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan’s speech to the joint session, Mr Rao praised the

late Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, the chief minister of the erstwhile combined state of Andhra Pradesh, for introducing such a great health scheme for poor people.

He said that he had never hesitated to accept the good things done by those who may have been opponents of his party.

He disclosed to the House that the Prime Minister always complained that Telangana state had not accepted the Centre’s Ayushman Bharath scheme.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday told the Assembly that he had failed to fulfil his promise of visiting Dhoolpet in Hyderabad in connection with providing alternative means of livelihood to the residents who had been rescued from the cycle of brewing illicit liquor (gudumba).

Thanking BJP legislator T. Raja Singh for reminding him of his promise, the Chief Minister said, “I have failed to visit the area, I have to accept it. This time I will certainly visit Dhoolpet to support the families who have been brought out of the trade of brewing illicit liquor.”

Earlier, Mr Raja Singh, participating in a debate on the motion of thanks for the Governor’s address, alleged that the Chief Minister had not provided alternative means of livelihood to the families of the area as he had assured.

Mr Singh said the state government had given a meagre amount of `2 lakh to each persons involved in the brewing of illicit liquor to take up self-employment of their choice.

Mr Chandrasekhar Rao’s promise, made on the floor of the House in the previous Assembly, of providing housing and other welfare measures had materialised, Mr Singh said. He also requested the new government to take measures to stop drug menace in the city.

The Chief Minister said that though the drugs issue in the city was of a minor nature, the government was taking stringent measures to put an end to the menace before it grew in size. Mr Rao said the government had banned gambling and the cards rooms in all clubs had been closed.