Infant mortality, casteism a blot on nation, says AP CM

: Continuing infant mortality, maternal mortality, injustice in the name of caste and religion and the inability of scores of children to enroll themselves in schools remain a blot on the country, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Thursday.

In his maiden address to the gathering after unfurling the national tricolour on Independence Day in Vijayawada, the Chief Minister said the country could not get rid of several ills despite the British exiting it 73 years ago.

Why is it happening so? We all should responsibly search for an answer as to whether we all really got Independence or is it limited only to a few, he said.

Stating that agriculture, industrial and services sectors witnessed a significant growth in the last 73 years, Jagan said a corrupt and middlemen system grew even faster, depriving the benefits of development to the deserving sections.

Should we reform this rotten system for the better or leave it like that in desperation that power and corruption will remain mixed like milk and water, Jagan wondered.

It was with a determination to reform the system that his government introduced the Navaratnalu, welfare schemes for the uplift of the downtrodden and the deprived sections with a corruption-free and inclusive governance, he said.

He listed out the various initiatives taken up by his 78-day-old government in the state to ensure accountability in administration and development.

Mahatma Gandhi, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh and such legends wished for a society where there was no exploitation, where equality prevailed and tears of all the helpless people wiped out, he said.

"In tune with their wishes, and as a reflection of Independence, I promise that governance in Andhra Pradesh will continue on those lines, the Chief Minister said.

He then presented the Presidents Police Medal for Distinguished Service to Additional Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta, retired IGP Sheik Mohammad Iqbal, Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service to SP-rank officers G V G Ashok Kumar and M Ravi Prakash, Police Medal for Gallantry to IPS officers Rahul Dev Sharma, Babujee Attada and Kolli Raghuram Reddy.

Awards in various other categories were also given away to police officials on the occasion.

Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam, Director General of Police D Gautam Sawang and senior bureaucrats attended the event.