Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government is getting ready to pay stipend to 12 lakh unemployed youth in the State. The scheme, which was promised by the Telugu Desam Party during the 2014 elections, would come into force shortly, said Minister for Finance Yanamala Ramakrishnudu.

The Minister addressed the party workers at the East Godavari district mini-mahanadu on Tuesday. The Minister said that the government which started with Rs 16,000 crore revenue deficit is now facing the deficit of Rs 24,000 crore over the last three years. However, the government had not gone back on any of its election promises, he said and asserted that the government had introduced several new schemes which were not promised. The increased pensions, Pattiseema and Purushothapatnam lift irrigation schemes were some of the schemes that the government had implemented during the last three years, he said.

The Minister further said that the government had implemented the loan waiver to the farmers and the self-help group women. The other schemes too to be implemented shortly benefiting every section of the people, he added.

The Minister took a dig at the Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy for causing obstacles for the State government. He regretted that Jaganmohan Reddy who is accused in 12 corruption cases and had faced 16 months of jail was blaming Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for everything and creating hurdles for the development of the State. “It is unfortunate that a corrupt leader is in the State,” the Minister said. The Minister asserted that Jaganmohan Reddy would be in the jail for rest of his life if the charges against him are proved in the court.

Ramakrishnudu said that the Chief Minister was working for the development of the State round the clock despite financial constraints and hurdles created by corrupt Jaganmohan Reddy. He wanted the rank and file of the TDP and the general public to back Chandrababu Naidu to continue the developmental works in the State.