Amaravati, Jul 28 (PTI) The Andhra Pradesh government is "forcing" government employees, particularly teachers, to participate in Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's poverty eradication initiative, P4 or Public Private People Partnership, YSRCP leader N Chandrasekhar Reddy alleged on Monday.
Naidu launched the 'P4 Margadarsi Bangaru Kutumbam' programme on March 30 in Amaravati. Under the scheme, affluent individuals who volunteer to support economically weaker families are termed 'margadarsis' (mentors), while beneficiaries are referred to as 'bangaru kutumbam' (golden families).
The programme envisages the top 10 per cent of society adopting and mentoring the bottom 20 per cent to help lift them out of poverty.
Addressing a press conference, Reddy alleged that the government was "pressuring teachers to adopt poor families" under P4 despite pending dues to employees.
"The government is not clearing dues to employees but is forcing teachers to take up the P4 initiative. Normally, people from higher income brackets come forward to adopt the poor, but here, teachers are being compelled despite financial constraints," he claimed.
Reddy further alleged that Naidu's poll promise of wealth creation had turned into a campaign to "harass employees", exposing what he called the CM’s "deceptive and diversionary tactics."
He claimed that district collectors were being used to mount pressure on teachers, leading to unrest among them.
"Teachers are ready to protest as they can no longer withstand the harassment," he alleged.
The YSRCP leader also accused the government of using the P4 initiative to "divert attention from its failure to fulfil key poll promises."
"Unable to implement the 'Adabidda Nidhi' scheme, which promised Rs 1,500 per month to over two crore women, Naidu is now using P4 as a distraction," Reddy alleged.
He also raised concerns over the safety and well-being of government employees under the coalition government, citing "increased work pressure" as a cause for distress.
Referring to a recent road accident near Hyderabad that claimed the lives of two DSPs, he claimed employees were overburdened.
Meanwhile, Swarnandhra P4 Foundation vice-chairman Kutumba Rao said the P4 initiative was "entirely voluntary and described it as the pride of Andhra Pradesh."
"This programme is completely voluntary and has been designed with the aim of bringing egalitarianism among all sections of society," he added in an official release.
Rao also claimed that Naidu himself had adopted 250 families under the programme and dismissed reports that district education officers were coercing headmasters and teachers to adopt poor families.
However, there was no immediate response from the TDP to the allegations.