Dr. Y.S.Rajashekar Reddy GaruHe graduated in medical science from Gulbarga University and practiced medicine for sometime in his native Kadapa District. The hospital his father built for him at Pulivendula is still running. The YS family also built and ran a degree college and a Polytechnic College at Pulivendula which was later handed over to the Loyola Group of Educational Institutions. Another junior college at Simhadripuram, a small town in the vicinity of Pulivendula, is being run by YS family.
He has initiated numerous programs primarily for the benefit of the common people and farmers of the state who constitute more than 60% of the population. The programs for the benefit of farmers include free power supply for farmers, Jalayagnam - a large scale program to construct more than 70 pending irrigation projects in the state to improve irrigation facilities to the farmers, increase in minimum support price for rice. Prominent among other programs include Arogya Shree - a health insurance scheme for rural masses where government pays the entire price of any surgery and does not require people to pay any premium, Pavala Vaddi - a program that provides loans to people at just 3% per year so as to encourage them to take up small scale businesses and entrepreneurship primarily targeted at rural woman, Indiramma illu - a program for construction of houses for the rural masses by charging a small amount and the government the remaining amount.
Dr. Yeduguri Samuel Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, is acclaimed, both by the National and the International figures that ever visited the State, as the best blend of an able administrator and the most loved leader of the masses. Dr. Yeduguri Sandinti Raja Sekhar Reddy, popularly known as YS, is an astute politician and a charismatic mass leader who has carved for himself a niche in State politics by his exemplary devotion and dedication to the uplift of the downtrodden and neglected segments of society. YSR has always struggled to secure the rights of the poor and the underprivileged.
An unbiased Leader..
Dr. YSR is into active politics since a quarter of a century and has been representing his party on different fora. During 1980-1983, he was a minister holding important portfolios related to Rural Development, Medical & Health and Education etc. .He was elected to Loksabha from Kadapa constituency for four times and got elected to A.P. Assembly for four times from Pulivendula constituency. Dr.YSR, the legislator, fought many a battle on the floor of Assembly and outsmarted his rivals on every account. His Five year stint as the leader of the opposition in the State’s Assembly has brought out the best of his oratorical art and arguementative skills. He remains one of those very few politicians around who never lost an election. Dr. YSR’s role as an MLA in getting Tungabhadra water for Pulivendula Branch Canal (PBC) and fighting for projects like RTPP (Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant) at Muddanur, and Proddatur Milk Foods and its ancilaries, Milk chilling plants at various locations in always remembered.
As PCC President..
He was President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) twice - 1983-1985 and 1998-2000. As the president of PCC, Dr. YSR rendered yeomen services to the party in regaining the faith and trust of the masses. This in turn made him the most acceptable leader of the people from every corner of the State. From 1999 to 2004 he was the Leader of Opposition in the eleventh state assembly.
Paadayaatra:
During mid-summer in 2003, he led an unprecedented 1400 Km long Paadayaatra covering all backward areas in the state to understand the ground realities of living conditions of the people there. Even as a novice in the legislature, YSR rallied all the Congress MLAs from the Rayalaseema region and led an indefinite hunger strike demanding solution to the water crisis. He also led a Paadayaatra from Lepakshi to Pothireddipadu in Kurnool district.
As Chief Minister...
Sworn in as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on 14.05.2004.As the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy efficiently serving the interests of the people at large Hailing from a drought hit region - the Rayala Seema - he knows the real value of every drop of water. This is the very reason for his taking up the cause of farmers as a young legislator.A curious 'pastime' of Dr Reddy is to feel the pulse of people in rural areas on Sundays through the Rajiv Palle Batta.
