Amarnath slams govt over push for privatisation

YSR Congress Party Anakapalli district president and former Minister Gudivada Amarnath on Monday criticised the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government, accusing it of pushing systematic privatisation in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to the media in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Amarnath said the decision to develop 22 MSME parks through private entities, rather than through the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), showed the government’s intent to hand over public assets to corporate players. “If everything is run by private players, what is the need for a Chief Minister or a Cabinet?” he asked.

He said APIIC had developed over 550 industrial parks and generated employment for thousands over the years, but was now being deliberately sidelined. Under the public-private partnership model, valuable lands, including those assigned to Dalits and backward communities, were being diverted, he alleged.

Referring to Gopalapatnam, Mudasarlova, and Parawada, Mr. Amarnath claimed that land worth crores of rupees per acre was being sold at throwaway prices to benefit a few.

The former Minister said privatisation was being promoted across sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and industries. He alleged that welfare delivery had weakened, with reimbursement dues of over Rs 5,000 crore remaining unpaid and Aarogyasri bills of around Rs 4,500 crore still pending.

Rejecting allegations that the previous Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government focused on destruction, Mr. Amarnath said the YSRCP regime delivered real development. He recalled that Andhra Pradesh topped the ease of doing business rankings and developed three industrial corridors.

Criticising the present government, he said it was driven by publicity rather than outcomes and alleged that the State was borrowing nearly Rs 500 crore every day without creating productive assets.