North Andhra was gravely neglected by YSRCP: Lokesh

Visakhapatnam: The government is mulling over making Rushikonda palace accessible to the public, said HRD Minister Nara Lokesh.

After the review meeting held with North Andhra public representatives in Visakhapatnam on January 5 (Sunday) ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Visakha-patnam, Lokesh reiterated that people need to know the magnitude of misuse of public funds that went behind bringing out the ‘larger-than-life palace’ to cater to a single person’s lavish lifestyle. “It is the most expensive project for which even we have no clue about what to do with it that included a dedicated camp office for the CM’s wife,” Lokesh conveyed.

As long as YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was in power, he could not step out until he was surrounded by 1,000-security guards. He’s used to flying in flights and when he opted for a road route, he was always behind the veil, pointed out the HRD Minister.

On the contrary, Lokesh says, despite the threat, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu availed only 30 percent of security compared to what Jagan Mohan Reddy had availed.

Speaking about the ensuing Prime Minister’s trip to Visakhapatnam, Lokesh informed that the PM would lay the foundation stone for five major projects in Andhra Pradesh, including a Bulk Drug Park at Nakkapalli and NTPC Green Hydrogen Hub.

Close to Rs 5,000-crore worth of national highway project was taken up in Andhra Pradesh. Of them, the PM will inaugurate NH roads that were completed at a cost of Rs.3,900 crore, Lokesh informed, adding that a road show will be held stretching up to a kilometre followed by a public meeting on January 8.

Lokesh came down heavily on the previous YSRCP government stating that in its five-year-long rule, the party did nothing for North Andhra, failed to allot land for the proposed rail-way zone and no IT company has been set up during its tenure.

As the Centre is giving top priority to Andhra Pradesh, the HRD Minister expressed grati-tude to it for granting substantial funds to take up significant projects in the state.

Visakhapatnam west constituency MLA and Government Whip PGVR Naidu (Gana Babu) will take care of road show arrangements during the

PM’s visit, while TDP state president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinviasa Rao will oversee the arrangements for the public meeting at the AU grounds.

Lokesh laid emphasis that the public representatives and district officials should work in tan-dem to make the ensuing PM’s visit a grand success and consider it as their sole agenda for the next few days.