Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh said that if voted to power, their party would ensure the formation of an exclusive corporation that would be tasked with ensuring the welfare of the large number of workers in the motor transport sector, and added that all steps would be taken for the sector’s revival, including the Auto Nagars.
Addressing a meeting of various stakeholders in the transport sector as part of his Yuva Galam padayatra, in Vijayawada city on Sunday, Mr. Lokesh said the State government’s vindictive attitude has driven away companies like Amara Raja Batteries Limited, which was the highest taxpayer in the transport-related field in the State. No new industries have in the last four-and-a-half years as the conditions for industries ceased to be conducive after Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy took the reins of the State, Mr. Lokesh alleged.
The transport sector was in the doldrums as well, as the State government had imposed a plethora of taxes on the operators. The taxes on the transport sector, which had become exceedingly high, would be rolled back by the TDP, especially taxes being levied on trucks, he said.
Mr. Lokesh said new investments had stopped coming into Andhra Pradesh as the entrepreneurs realised that the neighbouring States were a safer bet. Economic activity has slumped after the YSRCP came to power. The taxes levied on the petroleum products would be cut slowly, he added.
MLA Gadde Rammohan, former MP Konkalla Narayana, former Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, ex-MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, party leaders Varla Ramaiah, Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) and others were present.
