‘Asamardha, Chavata, Sannasi Mukhyamantri’

Minister Kodali Nani charged TDP president N. Chandrababau Naidu with siphoning off Rs 1 lakh from each of the beneficiaries of government housing scheme during the Telugu Desam Party regime, which would amount to Rs 2,000 crore.

He said that Chandrababu cheated the beneficiaries by telling them cock-and-bull stories that German Technology would be used to construct their houses strong but at a cheaper price.

“Accordingly, Naidu told them that the Centre would give Rs 1 lakh subsidy, the state would give Rs 1.5 lakh subsidy and that they would have to pay Rs 1 lakh in one instalment. Then, the state government would take Rs 3.5 lakh loan in the name of the beneficiary and the construction work would be completed.”

Nani also accused Naidu of getting the guidelines framed so tactfully that only big companies like L&T, Shapoorji Pallonji, KMC and Nagarjuna could take up the contract works. He also alleged that the TDP had appointed agents district-wise who collected kick-backs from the beneficiaries and gave it to Naidu.

He also termed Naidu as ‘asamardha, chavata, sannasi mukhyamantri’ who could not complete construction of houses during his tenure. He also called him ‘durmargudu’ for ‘taking money from even the poorest of the poor in the name of a housing scheme.’

Nani reminded that the TDP chief gave tenders at the cost of Rs 1,800 per sft while their party president and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy awarded tenders for Rs 1,312 per sft to one GV from Vizag, who agreed to complete the housing complexes left incomplete by the TDP in Gudivada and Machilipatnam areas. “Our party will use the same technology of which Naidu promised and we will also provide all basic amenities in the colony to be built and it will be named YSR Nagar,” he said.

The YCP leader also alleged that Naidu launched TIDCO during his Chief Ministership only to cheat the poor and the economically weaker sections.

“Saving nearly Rs 500 on each sft would benefit the poor by Rs 1.5 lakh on their 300 sft houses. For 1,000 apartments, this would save Rs 16 crore,” he said and lauded Jagan Mohan Reddy for saving money by going for reverse tendering even in the housing scheme.

He said that following demand for more houses to the poor, the YCP government acquired 180 acres around Gudivada and land filling was done in 77 acres to give away the land as house sites to the poor. However, these initiatives have been blocked by ‘cunning’ Naidu by filing cases against acquisition of the land. These cases are pending in the court, he said.

He accused Naidu of trying to create obstacles in the implementation of programmes for the welfare of the poor. “We hope we will be able to overcome all these hurdles and get the 180 acres registered in the name of the poor.”

He also said that all arrangements have been made for the distribution of house sites to the poor on August 15 but that the court had ordered status quo with regard to land in some places. It is for the same reason the distribution of house sites to the poor in the state was getting delayed inordinately, he added.