Thursday, February 17, 2011

'YSR Schemes In Tune With Loksatta party Manifesto'

Lok Satta Party president Dr Jayaprakash Narayan has joined the voice of former Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on the fee reimbursement issue, demanding that the government honor its commitments to poor students pursuing higher education.




He told the media on Wednesday that it was the Lok Satta Party which had incorporated irrevocable guarantees on education and social security in its 50-point election manifesto. “No student irrespective of his caste or religion should be denied an opportunity to pursue higher education provided he or she is desirous and deserving. We also advocated institution of a program to help the poor people stand on their own feet through financial assistance and earn pension through a contributory scheme,” he said.


 



He pointed out that the fee reimbursement and abhaya hastam schemes ushered in by late Chief Minister Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy were in tune with the Lok Satta manifesto. The Government which rode to power on such promises should not go back on them now, JP said.



He further pointed out that provision of educational opportunities was essential but not enough. “Today, there are tens of thousands of educated unemployed in the State. They should be imparted job-oriented skills and provided livelihood opportunities. Imparting skills to a million people for periods ranging from three months to a year would not cost more than Rs.2500 crore a year. The Government would earn Rs.3000 crore to Rs. 4000 crore by way of revenue once the trained youth boost manufacturing by Rs.25000 crore after landing jobs,” he suggested