PDSO Call to End Drought , Migration , and Economic Injustice in Northern AP
The Progressive Democratic Students ’ Organization ( PDSO ) Uttarandhra ( Northern AP ) District Committee organized a convention on “ Drought and Migration in Uttarandhra - Issues in Education and Employment Sectors - Student Tasks ” at the M . R . Ladies Club in Vizianagaram , AP on 15 th November 2024 . Prior to the convention , a rally of 500 students marched from the railway station and the RTC Complex to the venue , chanting slogans and voicing their demands for social justice .
PDSO State General Secretary A . Suresh , who inaugurated the convention , highlighted the stark contrast between the region ’ s abundant natural resources and the severe challenges it faces . Despite having rivers , forests , fertile lands , and hard-working communities — such as laborers , farmers , and fishermen — Uttarandhra suffers from drought , inadequate healthcare , and limited employment opportunities . He criticized the government for exploiting the region ’ s resources for the benefit of multinational corporations while leaving the local population without basic services . He further claimed that the drought in Uttarandhra is artificially created by government policies to facilitate resource extraction for foreign companies .
Former Central and State Advisor Y . V . S . Mahadev spoke about the widespread migration crisis in Uttarandhra , emphasizing the lack of job opportunities that forces thousands to leave their homes in search of work . He shared the example of 10,000 to 12,000 people from Srikakulam living in harsh conditions in Seetharama Raju Nagar , Hyderabad , after migrating due to a lack of local employment . He also pointed out
22 that , despite 1.87 lakh students graduating annually in the state , only 15 % secure jobs locally , highlighting the severe employment crisis . He criticized the government ’ s failure to develop key industries , such as cashew processing and granite mining , which could provide substantial local employment . Instead , land is being seized for industrial purposes , displacing existing livelihoods without offering sustainable alternatives .
APTF State General Secretary K . Bhanumurthy emphasized the deliberate underdevelopment of Uttarandhra and the unequal societal structure that benefits the rich while neglecting the poor . He also highlighted the historical denial of education to marginalized groups , which has resulted in widespread illiteracy and a lack of critical thinking . Other speakers , including P . Mohan Rao ( Janasaahithi ), N . Bhaskar ( PDSO ), M . Appalaraju ( Nava Yuva Samakhya ), and other PDSO leaders , emphasized the urgent need for action to address the pressing issues of migration , employment , education , and sustainable development in the region .
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Indian Rail Mazdoor Union leader ; Com Adari Apparao , Editor of Karmikanagaara ; Com B . Shankar Rao , AIFTU ( New ) State Committee member ; AIFTU ( New ) State Treasurer Com DVN Swamy and Com A . Suresh , State General Secretary of the PDSO among others , also addressed the convention .
After the session concluded , workers and leaders , holding banners and red flags , marched from the venue to the Steel Plant workers ’ protest camp . They
The resolutions passed at the convention strongly opposed the privatization of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and demanded the allocation of captive mines to ensure its sustainability . Other demands included completing all educational institutions promised under the State Reorganization Act with adequate funding , establishing a central university in Visakhapatnam , a tribal university , and filling vacant positions in Andhra University and Ambedkar University . The resolutions also emphasized creating a separate railway zone centered in Visakhapatnam , continuing the existing railway division , and providing government aid to aided colleges . Furthermore , the convention advocated for the establishment of agricultural university centers to improve the productivity of local crops like cashew , mango , sugarcane , and coconut . It also stressed the importance of reopening closed agro-based industries like jute and sugar factories ; halting the Kovvada Nuclear Power Plant project , and completing all pending irrigation and drinking water projects . �
chanted slogans demanding that Visakhapatnam Steel remain in the public sector , that the plant be allocated its own mines , and that privatization of public sector industries be stopped . They also called on the central government , which has caused the steel plant ’ s losses , to allocate working capital and show solidarity with the steel plant workers ’ struggle . The workers demanded job security for contract workers and raised their voices for these demands with slogans all along the road leading to the plant . �
Class Struggle