All the welfare schemes like Chandranna Bheema and Abhaya Hastam will be revived that are now discontinued, said TDP general secretary and former minister, Nara Lokesh, on Monday.

The workers of Chandranna Bheema and Abhaya Hastam met Lokesh during his pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’ and informed him that about 1200 workers who were extending their services to these schemes were removed from service after the 2019 elections.

“We worked hard for the success of the Chandranna Bheema scheme and other such welfare programmes and extended our services promptly,” they informed Mr Lokesh.

Lokesh said that the Chandranna Bheema was introduced to stand by those who strived hard to make their both ends meet, but after the YSRCP came to power this scheme was discontinued.

About Rs 2,200 cr Abhaya Hastam funds belonging to Dwcra women and Rs 700 cr of the construction workers have been diverted by the Jagan Mohan Reddy Government, Lokesh said and promised that all the welfare schemes that are now discontinued will be revived soon after the TDP is back in the government.

Later, at Santhapet the beedi workers of Beedi Colony and Lenin Nagar met Lokesh and told him that they are getting only Rs 180 to Rs 220 for the work from 9 am till 11 pm daily. They said that even minimum wages are not being paid for them following which they are affected with various kinds of health issues.

Even they are affected with cancer and tuberculosis since they have to work with tobacco and a major portion of their earnings are being spent on health problems, they told Lokesh. The beedi workers wanted Lokesh to take their problems like holiday on weekends and 80 days annual paid holidays for women workers. Also, they wanted facilities like ESI, health cards and provident fund besides pucca houses.

Expressing serious concern over the problems being faced by the beedi workers, Lokesh said that the TDP will take all the measures for the welfare of beedi workers once the TDP is back in power and pucca houses will be built for them.