Sharmila attacks govt over Aarogyasri dues

Vijayawada: APCC chief YS Sharmila on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the state govt, alleging gross neglect of public healthcare and deliberate delays in clearing dues under the Aarogyasri scheme.While the govt has been spending lavishly on events to appease Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it has failed to allocate even minimal funds for critical healthcare services for the poor, she alleged, adding that despite borrowing massive amounts for the development of Amaravati, the govt did not clear pending Aarogyasri dues amounting to Rs 3,000 crore.Targeting chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, she accused him of prioritising high-profile events over public welfare, stating that nearly Rs 1,200 crore was spent on official programmes while essential health services were neglected.Describing Aarogyasri, introduced by her father and former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, as a "lifeline scheme that saved millions of lives", she alleged that it was now being systematically weakened. She pointed out that services under the scheme were suspended twice in the past two years, calling it a "serious failure of governance".The APCC chief further alleged that the govt is attempting to privatise the scheme under the guise of a universal health scheme programme, and warned that continued delay in releasing funds would cripple the system entirely. Issuing an ultimatum, she demanded immediate release of pending dues, restoration of medical services, and urgent consultations with hospital managements. Wondering why the govt, which allocated Rs 4,000 crore in the budget for NTR health services, was hesitating to release funds, Sharmila warned of intensified protests and a statewide agitation by the Congress if the govt failed to act promptly to safeguard public healthcare.