Report On Suicides A Wake Up Call To Jagan?

The Andhra Pradesh government implements a dozen of welfare schemes but this comes with a huge cost which is directly affecting the governance as well. Statistics prove that these welfare schemes are not benefiting but are an extra expenditure for the state government’s treasury and the schemes have zero impact on the lives of the beneficiaries.

There is a criticism that the AP government is playing a mute spectator role when the investments and industries are walking away. With no investment, opportunities have dried for the skilled labour in the state and due to this the unemployment is piling up. This is causing a distress among the unemployed youth and forcing them to commit suicide.

In 2019, 6465 youth committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh and this figure has gone up to 8067 in the year 2021. These stats are not transplanted by external forces but were acknowledged by Union Minister of Labor Employment and Development Rameshwar Teli in the Parliament. The number of suicides is more due to unemployment than any other reason.

Besides unemployment, the poor, low-income, weaker and tribal communities in AP are facing social insecurity. Especially the tribals are finding it difficult to pass the day. The number of atrocities against the tribals witnessed a spike.

According to a report revealed by the Union Government in Parliament, 330 cases of atrocities against tribals were registered in 2019. In 2021, another 361 cases were reported. When these cases are reaching the AP High Court, the tribals are not getting their rightful justice.

These revelations from the Union government is a big setback for Jagan government who name themselves as pro-poor. But Jagan hasn’t addressed the burning issue of unemployment and also assured social security for the weaker sections of the society. High time the Jagan government wakes up in this regard.