Latest news with #Arogyasri
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
TDP members rebut Jagan's allegations
Vijayawada: The ruling TDP hit back at former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy , who alleged that the growth rate is dismal in the NDA govt. Finance minister Payyavula Keshav said that Jagan, during his tenure as chief minister, had borrowed 9.7 lakh crore besides leaving pending payments to contractors, employee benefits, Arogyasri bills, and many more. Keshav further said that Jagan had discontinued 94 centrally sponsored schemes. The NDA govt is paying a heavy price because of Jagan's actions. "We are paying thousands of crores of rupees in interest on the debt raised during the previous regime. We have cleared many pending bills left to us as a legacy by the YSRCP govt and resumed 74 central schemes by matching thousands of crores to the central funds," he said. Rebutting the allegation that the growth rate has come down in the state, TDP politburo member Somireddy Chandra Mohan Reddy said that Union ministry of statistics and programme implementation, in its latest report, stated that Andhra Pradesh stood in second place in the country with an 8.2% growth rate. This is the achievement of the NDA govt within 10 months. When the facts are like this, Jagan Mohan Reddy came out with blatant lies. In the two-and-a-half-hour-long press conference, Jagan did not speak at least one fact, he said. Chandramohan Reddy dared the former chief minister to prove the allegation that Ursa cluster was given land at 1 per acre.
United News of India
17-05-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Telangana govt launches Arogyasri health cards for children without parents
Hyderabad, May 17 (UNI) In a heartwarming initiative, Telangana Women and Child Welfare Minister Dr Danasari Anasuya Seethakka on Saturday distributed Arogyasri health cards to orphaned children for the first time in the state. The event, held at Tourism Plaza in Begumpet, marked a significant leap toward inclusive healthcare for vulnerable children. Minister Seethakka, who was the chief guest at the event, was warmly welcomed by children from Shishu Vihar who presented her with a plant. In an emotional moment, the Minister embraced the children, showering them with affection and kisses, symbolising the government's commitment to act as a guardian for those without families. Calling the move a 'revolutionary decision,' Minister Seethakka said, 'All children without parents are government children. We are now their family. By issuing Arogyasri cards, we're not just offering medical security but also showing that they are not alone.' The Arogyasri cards will enable orphaned children to access free treatment worth up to Rs 10 lakh in corporate hospitals, covering a wide range of health issues. This landmark measure aims to alleviate the healthcare struggles faced by orphans and provide them with a safety net equivalent to that of a supportive family. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, MP Anil Kumar Yadav, Hyderabad Mayor Gadwala Vijayalakshmi, Deputy Mayor Mote Srilatha, and Hyderabad Collector Anudeep Durshetty participated in the distribution ceremony. Women and child welfare secretary Anita Ramachandran and director Kanti Wesley were also present. The ministers handed out the health cards to children under the care of daycare centres, with many officials expressing joy at being able to serve as 'parents' in the absence of biological ones. 'When children lose their parents and have no one to support them, it becomes the government's moral responsibility to step in,' said Seethakka. The event also included games and entertainment for the children, creating a festive and supportive atmosphere. In a touching gesture, Minister Seethakka was seen feeding a child lovingly, further underscoring her emotional connection to the cause. UNI VV PRS
India.com
13-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
YSRCP refutes liquor policy-disease link, says allegations aimed at maligning Jagan Mohan Reddy
Former Andhra Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy Amaravati: V Rajini, YSRCP leader and former health minister, has said certain allegations against the party's liquor policy while it was in the ruling saddle in Andhra Pradesh were false and politically motivated. Rajini said that linking liver and kidney diseases to the YSRCP's liquor policy was baseless, intended to malign YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's erstwhile government and deflect attention from failures. According to a report by an expert panel, Andhra Pradesh has registered a staggering 100 per cent increase in the cases of alcohol-related liver diseases during the tenure of Reddy-led YSRCP in 2019-2024 as compared to the earlier five years. The 3-member panel, which the Chandrababu Naidu government constituted to analyse the disease burden in Andhra, used the official health data from Arogyasri, a flagship scheme to provide quality healthcare services to the poor. 'The coalition (the ruling NDA govt) is twisting facts and misusing health data to spread deliberate lies. Our (erstwhile YSRCP) government worked to curb alcohol use, ensured safer regulation, and invested in public health, unlike their (TDP-led) regime, which fuelled unchecked liquor sales,' said Rajini in a release. The former health minister said that liquor sales allegedly dropped from four crore to three crore liquor cases (carton box) from 2018 to 19 and 2023-24, while beer sales fell from 3 crore to 1 crore. The YSRCP leader alleged that the NDA coalition government peddles falsehoods, ignoring its record, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu 'introduced' 200 liquor brands, flooding the market with unknown ones. In contrast, Reddy retained brands already existing during his regime, said Rajini. A Chennai-based lab and others approved quality and Competition Commission of India (CCI) confirmed compliance and no deaths happened due to illicit liquor during the previous YSRCP regime, he said. Rajini claimed that the YSRCP curbed alcohol usage by regulating shops, reducing timings, and abolishing 43,000 alleged belt shops (illegal liquor outlets). He alleged that the TDP-led government misinterprets health data, falsely linking diseases to liquor, while ignoring that lifestyle factors play a more significant role. Under Reddy's regime, the diseases covered under Aarogyasri (free healthcare scheme) raised from 1,059 to 3,254; 108 and 104 ambulances increased from 622 to 2,204, enhancing emergency access. The erstwhile YSRCP government addressed severe staff shortages in government hospitals by recruiting over 53,000 healthcare workers, which improved services across the state, he said. Despite a 61 per cent national shortage of specialist doctors, the state reduced it to 4 per cent. Nurse and lab technician shortages, at 27 per cent and 33 per cent nationally, dropped to zero in Andhra Pradesh, he added. (With Inputs from PTI)
India.com
13-05-2025
- Health
- India.com
YSRCP Refutes Liquor Policy-Disease Link, Blames Chandrababu Naidu Govt For Misusing Health Data
Former Andhra Pradesh health minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader V. Rajini on Monday refuted allegations that the party's liquor policy during its 2019–2024 tenure contributed to a surge in liver and kidney diseases. She dismissed the claims as politically driven misinformation aimed at discrediting former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's administration. Rajini's remarks come in the wake of a report by a three-member expert panel, constituted by the current Chandrababu Naidu-led government, which cited a 100 per cent rise in alcohol-related liver disease cases during the YSRCP regime, based on data from the state's flagship Arogyasri health scheme. Terming the findings misleading, Rajini accused the ruling NDA coalition of manipulating health data for political mileage. 'The coalition is twisting facts and misusing data to spread deliberate lies,' she said in a statement. 'Our government worked to regulate alcohol use, promote safer practices, and strengthen public health, unlike the previous TDP regime, which allowed unchecked liquor proliferation.' Former Health Minister Vidadala Rajini condemned the coalition's false propaganda against YSRCP's liquor policy, calling it a desperate attempt to divert attention from their failures. She said linking health issues to YSRCP's liquor policy is baseless and aimed at tarnishing the… — YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) May 12, 2025 Rajini claimed that during the YSRCP's governance, liquor sales actually declined — from four crore to three crore cases between 2018–19 and 2023–24 — and beer sales dropped significantly from three crore to one crore cases. She also asserted that no deaths due to illicit liquor were recorded during their rule, with quality certification from a Chennai-based lab and approval from the Competition Commission of India. The former health minister further alleged that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had introduced over 200 new liquor brands, flooding the market with lesser-known options, while the YSRCP government maintained the existing brands. She said the YSRCP took concrete steps to curb alcohol consumption by regulating store hours, controlling the number of retail outlets, and shutting down over 43,000 alleged illegal belt shops. Rajini emphasized that rising health issues were more closely linked to broader lifestyle changes than to liquor policy alone. Highlighting healthcare achievements under the YSRCP government, she said the number of diseases covered under the Arogyasri scheme rose from 1,059 to 3,254. The ambulance fleet also expanded significantly, with 108 and 104 services increasing from 622 to 2,204 vehicles, vastly improving emergency medical access. Rajini concluded by pointing to recruitment drives that brought in over 53,000 healthcare workers to fill staff shortages in government hospitals. She noted that Andhra Pradesh under YSRCP reduced the national average shortage of specialist doctors from 61% to 4%, and brought nurse and lab technician shortages to zero.
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Allegations linking YSRCP's liquor policy with diseases false, says party leader
Amaravati, YSRCP leader and former health minister V Rajini on Monday said certain allegations against the party's liquor policy while it was in the ruling saddle in Andhra Pradesh were false and politically motivated. Rajini said that linking liver and kidney diseases to the YSRCP's liquor policy was baseless, intended to malign YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's erstwhile government and deflect attention from failures. According to a report by an expert panel, Andhra Pradesh has registered a staggering 100 per cent increase in the cases of alcohol-related liver diseases during the tenure of Reddy-led YSRCP in 2019-2024 as compared to the earlier five years. The 3-member panel, which the Chandrababu Naidu government constituted to analyse the disease burden in Andhra, used the official health data from Arogyasri, a flagship scheme to provide quality healthcare services to the poor. "The coalition is twisting facts and misusing health data to spread deliberate lies. Our government worked to curb alcohol use, ensured safer regulation, and invested in public health, unlike their regime, which fuelled unchecked liquor sales," said Rajini in a release. The former health minister said that liquor sales allegedly dropped from four crore to three crore liquor cases from 2018 to 19 and 2023-24, while beer sales fell from 3 crore to 1 crore. The YSRCP leader alleged that the NDA coalition government peddles falsehoods, ignoring its record, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu 'introduced' 200 liquor brands, flooding the market with unknown ones. In contrast, Reddy retained brands already existing during his regime, said Rajini. A Chennai-based lab and others approved quality and Competition Commission of India confirmed compliance and no deaths happened due to illicit liquor during the previous YSRCP regime, he said. Rajini claimed that the YSRCP curbed alcohol usage by regulating shops, reducing timings, and abolishing 43,000 alleged belt shops . He alleged that the TDP-led government misinterprets health data, falsely linking diseases to liquor, while ignoring that lifestyle factors play a more significant role. Under Reddy's regime, the diseases covered under Aarogyasri raised from 1,059 to 3,254; 108 and 104 ambulances increased from 622 to 2,204, enhancing emergency access. The erstwhile YSRCP government addressed severe staff shortages in government hospitals by recruiting over 53,000 healthcare workers, which improved services across the state, he said. Despite a 61 per cent national shortage of specialist doctors, the state reduced it to 4 per cent. Nurse and lab technician shortages, at 27 per cent and 33 per cent nationally, dropped to zero in Andhra Pradesh, he added.
