YSRCP Refutes Liquor Coverage-Illness Hyperlink, Blames Chandrababu Naidu Govt For Misusing Well being Knowledge | India Information

Former Andhra Pradesh well being minister and YSR Congress Occasion (YSRCP) chief V. Rajini on Monday refuted allegations that the occasion’s liquor coverage throughout its 2019–2024 tenure contributed to a surge in liver and kidney ailments. She dismissed the claims as politically pushed misinformation geared toward discrediting former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s administration.

Rajini’s remarks come within the wake of a report by a three-member knowledgeable panel, constituted by the present Chandrababu Naidu-led authorities, which cited a 100 per cent rise in alcohol-related liver illness instances through the YSRCP regime, based mostly on knowledge from the state’s flagship Arogyasri well being scheme.

Terming the findings deceptive, Rajini accused the ruling NDA coalition of manipulating well being knowledge for political mileage. “The coalition is twisting details and misusing knowledge to unfold deliberate lies,” she stated in a press release. “Our authorities labored to control alcohol use, promote safer practices, and strengthen public well being, not like the earlier TDP regime, which allowed unchecked liquor proliferation.”

Former Well being Minister Vidadala Rajini condemned the coalition’s false propaganda towards YSRCP’s liquor coverage, calling it a determined try and divert consideration from their failures. She stated linking well being points to YSRCP’s liquor coverage is baseless and geared toward tarnishing the…
— YSR Congress Occasion (@YSRCParty) Might 12, 2025

Rajini claimed that through the YSRCP’s governance, liquor gross sales truly declined — from 4 crore to 3 crore instances between 2018–19 and 2023–24 — and beer gross sales dropped considerably from three crore to at least one crore instances. She additionally asserted that no deaths on account of illicit liquor had been recorded throughout their rule, with high quality certification from a Chennai-based lab and approval from the Competitors Fee of India.

The previous well being minister additional alleged that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had launched over 200 new liquor manufacturers, flooding the market with lesser-known choices, whereas the YSRCP authorities maintained the prevailing manufacturers.

She stated the YSRCP took concrete steps to curb alcohol consumption by regulating retailer hours, controlling the variety of stores, and shutting down over 43,000 alleged unlawful belt outlets. Rajini emphasised that rising well being points had been extra carefully linked to broader life-style modifications than to liquor coverage alone.

Highlighting healthcare achievements underneath the YSRCP authorities, she stated the variety of ailments lined underneath the Arogyasri scheme rose from 1,059 to three,254. The ambulance fleet additionally expanded considerably, with 108 and 104 providers rising from 622 to 2,204 automobiles, vastly enhancing emergency medical entry.

Rajini concluded by pointing to recruitment drives that introduced in over 53,000 healthcare staff to fill workers shortages in authorities hospitals. She famous that Andhra Pradesh underneath YSRCP diminished the nationwide common scarcity of specialist docs from 61% to 4%, and introduced nurse and lab technician shortages to zero.