Kodad upgraded to municipality

HYDERABAD: The State government on Thursday decided to upgrade Kodad in Nalgonda district into a municipality, thus fulfilling a long-cherished ream of the people in this town.

With this, the total number of municipalities in the State will go up to 109.

At the same time, 12 gram panchayats will be upgraded into nagara panchayats, a step towards making them municipalities in future, if necessary.

The panchayats are -- Gollaprolu, Ravulapalem, Mummadivaram (East Godavari district), S. Kota (Vizianagaram), Banaganapalli, Gudur (Kurnool), Alluru (Nellore), Ieeza (Mahabubnagar), and Jammikunta, Vemulawada, Peddapalli and Huzurabad (Karimnagar).

There are already seven nagara panchayats in the State which.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy gave his approval to upgrading the gram panchayats after a meeting with officials on Thursday.

‘Centre lacking political will on Lokpal bill'

RAJAHMUNDRY: Bharatiya Janata Party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said the Union Government was lacking the political will to introduce the Lokpal bill and had not taken the Opposition into confidence on the issue.

Addressing a press conference, he said the Government was now arguing that Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev were not elected members of any legislature and therefore no dialogue with them was warranted. He said the Lokpal bill was more important than any other matter. So, the bill should be tabled in Parliament in the coming winter session, he said.

He said their party would support any one willing to fight against corruption and seeking tabling of the Lokpal bill without dilution. Mr Venkaiah Naidu said all scams -- from 2G to KG basin - should be probed and everyone, including the Prime Minister, should be brought within the purview of the Lokpal. Their party would launch an anti-corruption agitation for four days from June 23 all over the country.

The BJP leader said the government was not showing accountability on farmers' demand for increase of minimum support price and purchase of their produce directly by the government. He said farmers themselves declaring ‘crop holiday' was a dangerous signal. It would mean a food crisis looming on the country, he said.

He demanded that the State government release white paper on several issues pertaining to farmers. He asked the government to give details of the compensation paid for crop loss caused by cyclones Jal and Laila. He demanded district-wise statistics of paddy procurement, details of purchase of discoloured paddy etc. He asked the Union Government to send a team with Agriculture, Food and Finance Secretaries to study the farming crisis in the State and assess the situation of farmers who declared crop holiday. BJP senior leader Somu Veerraju participated.

Utilise services of anganwadis for verification of electoral rolls: CEO

ONGOLE: Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal on Thursday urged Prakasam district poll officials to make best use of the services of anganwadis to remove any discrepancies in the photo electoral rolls before publication in the draft electoral rolls on October 1.

Holding a review meeting here with the poll officials in Prakasam district, the CEO said “despite low pay, anganwadis are doing a great work at the grass-root level.”

“The services of anganwadis, who were thorough with each of the 200 to 300 households at the booth level, should be utilised after training to prepare a flawless photo electoral rolls in each and every booth,” he said, adding “every door should be tapped to prepare a flawless photo electoral rolls.”

He said a pilot project would be taken up to link the electoral rolls with the biometric Aadhaar cards and based on its success, it would be extended to other places.

He said the booth level officials would be provided Rs. five per each EPIC card for correction of any mistakes in the name of the voter and other particulars including age and address. He urged the officials concerned to rectify mistakes if any after door-to-door survey. “Even letters received by an individual can be considered as address proof for the purpose of registration of voters,” he said.

Address ryots' issues immediately: TDP

show of solidarity:TDP leaders staging a dharna on behalf of farmers in Ongole on Thursday.

ONGOLE: Hundreds of activists of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party staged a dharna in front of the Prakasam Bhavan to press for immediate action by the State government to address the serious issues concerning farmers.

Leading the protest, TDP District President D. Janardhan said “it is unfortunate that the farmers in the state are neither getting farm inputs, including seed and fertilizers at right time nor remunerative price for their produce due to the Congress government's indifference to peasants plight.”

The “inept” Kiran Kumar Reddy Government should immediately step down “as it is not in a position ensure the welfare of farmers,” TDP Farmers wing President K. Venkaiah said. “The days are not far off when the people teach a fitting lesson to the ruling Congress,” he added.

Party Ongole constituency in-charge E. Haribabu said, “not only the paddy growers, but also cultivators of tobacco, subabul and other crops who are struggling to get a fair price for their produce.”

‘Shameful'

The Congress government should hold its head down in shame for the current unfavourable market condition leading to announcement of crop holiday by farmers, he felt.

The TDP leaders and activists who have come from different parts of the district later submitted a memorandum to the state government through district Collector Kantilal Dande demanding immediate attention to resolve various issues concerning farmers.

Centre urged to reduce price of petrol

Protest mode: Left activists staging demonstration in front of the Collectorate in Kurnool on Thursday.

KURNOOL: The activists of CITU and AITUC staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here on Thursday urging the Centre to reduce the prices of petroleum products.

CITU president E. Pulla Reddy, AITUC president Makbool said the prices could be brought down if duties on the products were reduced.

Intervention sought

The government had never talked of the taxes it imposed on the essential petroleum products but went on harping on revision of prices in the international market. The government could intervene to absorb the hikes in the crude prices.

They alleged that the Congress government policies were helping the rich while the poor were subjected to exploitation.

The government had no control over the rich and their finances. The number of millionaires present in the Parliament were increasing year after year.

They said the millionaire politicians used the government resources for furthering their economic interests.

They alleged that Reliance Company made a profit of Rs. 2 lakh crore from the KG Basin Gas.

They said the prices of essential commodities would not come down unless the government reduced the duty rates and rolled back the fuel prices.

CITU leader M. Gopal and AITUC leader Subbarayudu presided over the meeting while AITUC senior leader Manohar Manikyam and others spoke.

547 classrooms will be built in State: Minister

KADAPA: The UPA government enacted Right To Education Act with an objective to ensure compulsory education of all children between six and 14 years of age, Minister for Minority Welfare Mohd. Ahmedullah said on Friday.

Five hundred and forty seven additional classrooms would be built in the State with an outlay of Rs.21 crore, the Minister said. In all, 107 additional class rooms were being inaugurated in 60 schools in Kadapa district with an outlay of Rs.4.28 crore, he added.

Inauguration

Mr. Ahmedullah inaugurated 12 additional classrooms, built at a cost of Rs.47.04 lakh in five schools in Kadapa. He opened four additional class rooms, built with Rs. 15.04 lakh in in the Municipal Urdu high school at Nakkash, one classroom each in the mandal parishad high school at Bachumpalle Harijanawada and municipal primary school at Bhagatsingh Nagar and three rooms each in A.P. Residential School for Girls in Chinna Chowk and YSR regional sports school at Putlampalle.

Uniforms

The Central and State governments were according utmost priority to the education sector, the Minister said. Eighty five per cent of textbooks were distributed among students in the district, which was allotted the highest quota of books, he said. Textbooks with new syllabus would be distributed soon. Each student was being given a pair of uniforms.

The Minister disbursed scholarships of Rs.1.15 lakh among 115 minority students besides, textbooks and notebooks in the Urdu high school at Nakkash. He promised to strive for educational development of minorities and urged them to study. The Urdu schools at Nakkash, Kagithalapenta and Nandalur were upgraded, he said.

He inspected the quality of food supplied in mid-day meals scheme in the school at Bachumpalle and directed Transco SE Lakshminarayana to provide electricity to Bachumpalle Harijanawada within a day.

He told Kadapa Municipal Commissioner D. John Samson to take steps to resolve the drinking water and street lighting problems in the area.

On finding students studying in the verandah in the social welfare residential school, he admonished the principal Sainath for seeking additional classrooms without utilising the existing ones.

Collector V.Anil Kumar, Rajiv Vidya Mission Project Officer Suryanarayana Reddy, Regional Sports School Special Officer Ramachandra Reddy, Kadapa MEO Parimala Sujana, DE Murahari Reddy, GCDO Anupama, teachers and students participated.

Jagan flays government

ANANTAPUR: YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday said that the State government's incompetence was showing in the problems being faced by the farmers of the Anantapur district.

Crop insurance

Speaking at public meetings at Guttur, Dharmavaram, and Rapthadu in Anantapur district, he said that the State government, after the death of the YSR, had failed to even ensure that the district administration sent reports relating to crop insurance and input subsidy on time to the government effectively denying the farmers input subsidy.

Speaking at the public meeting at Dharmavaram he alleged that the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi project, envisaged by YSR, was being delayed by the State government.

He hoped the project would be completed soon saving the farmers from further troubles.

Jaganmohan Reddy had stayed overnight at Penukonda during his ‘Odarpu Yatra' and went round the Venkatareddy palli and Ammavari Palli village before reaching Guttur for a public meeting. Later, he left to Chennekothapalli.

Jagan went to Dharmavaram where he consoled the family of K. Gopal before participating in a public meeting.

The YSR Congress Party president will stay overnight at Anantapur before starting off on his Odarpu Yatra of Kanaganapalli, Ramagiri and Kambadur mandals on Friday.

Seemandhra Congress leaders plan Delhi visit

S. Sailajanath

HYDERABAD: With the Telangana Congress leaders building pressure on the party leadership to expedite the statehood issue, their counterparts from Seemandhra region have decided to pay a visit to New Delhi to persuade the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to drop any move to bifurcate the State.

The AP Congress Legislators Forum convenor and Minister S. Sailajanath said informal meetings were on among the party MLAs and MLCs from the region and Seemandhra leaders were firm that the State should be united. “We have sought the appointment of Central leaders. Once that is confirmed, Ministers and legislators will go to Delhi and explain the present scenario,” he told reporters here on Thursday. The Minister sent SMS messages to the party legislators from the Seemandhra region to be ready to visit Delhi to apprise the high command about the latest political situation.

Congress leaders from the region feel that delaying tactics of the Centre was causing tension in the State. “Why should the State continue to delay a decision on the statehood issue? When the Telangana leaders putting pressure on the party leadership, why should we keep quiet,” a senior Congress legislator observed.

Ministers told to declare assets by August 31

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has directed his Cabinet colleagues to declare their assets and liabilities by August 31.

The directive follows a circular issued by the Union government on June 2, which makes it mandatory for the Council of Ministers to declare their assets and liabilities and indicate business interests to the Prime Minister in case of Union Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister for the State Cabinet Ministers.

Cabinet Secretary K. M. Chandrasekhar, on behalf of the Prime Minister, had written to the Union Ministers reminding them of the mandatory annual disclosure of assets and liabilities in accordance with the ‘Code of conduct for Ministers'. The same communication was forwarded to the State governments/Union Territories.

School Education Minister Sake Sailajanath on Thursday confirmed that Ministers had received the communiqué asking them to declare their assets. “I am going to do it on July 15,” he said adding that the exercise was very good to show transparency.

Another Minister said as part of the ‘code of conduct for Ministers', it was mandatory for them to declare their assets and liabilities.

“We had declared our assets and liabilities last year also and will do it this year too,” he said.

The Union government circular stated that in terms of the code of conduct, details in respect of assets, liabilities, business interests, conduct and management of any other business and employment of spouse and dependents under foreign government or organisation are required to be disclosed by the members of the Council of Ministers.

The circular specifically seeks declaration pertaining to all immovable property and total approximate value of shares, debentures, cash holdings, jewellery.

Another directive says that after taking office and as long as one remains in the office, the Minister shall furnish annually by August 31, a declaration regarding his assets and liabilities for the previous financial year.

Naidu derides Congress campaign against Anna

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday demanded inclusion of Prime Minister in the ambit of Lokpal and wanted the Congress to stop its vicious campaign against all those fighting against corruption.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Naidu said it was strange that the Congress- led UPA government was trying to discredit Anna Hazare and his team for speaking on behalf of people who yearn for a corruption-free governance.

If the Centre has any sincerity, it should debate and accept suggestions given by the civil society in tune with the mood of the nation, he said and reminded that it was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's silence that was proving to be a curse.

The UPA government's reluctance in taking proactive steps to check corruption has led to a situation where people have lost faith in the institutions of governance and were now extending full support to civil society groups, he said. He too would support the civil society as it was a “now or never” battle against corruption. “If we do not fight it now, we will simply hand over democracy to political, mining and other mafia groups”, he added.

Terming the alleged tapping of Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's telephone as a “dangerous trend”, Mr. Naidu wanted the Prime Minister to make a statement clarifying the issue. If a person who is second in the Union Cabinet is meted out such treatment, one could imagine the plight of the common man.

Asked about transfer of huge of amounts of money from Prashanthi Nilayam, the TDP president said if the State government had intervened in time, it would not have happened.

Condemning the TRS action in vandalising the statue of NTR in Warangal when funeral procession of Telangana ideologue, K. Jayashankar was taken out, he said it was not proper to politicise the death of a person who fought for a cause. NTR too worked for the poor and weaker sections.

Jagan's secret meeting

Meanwhile, the TDP wanted YSR Congress president Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy to clear the air on his “secret meeting” with Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust member, R. J. Ratnakar.

Addressing a press conference, TDP leaders, P. Chandrasekhar and Sudhish Rambhotla said Mr. Jagan's sudden visit to Prashanthi Nilayam was raising suspicion among people as he avoided visiting the place when Sai Baba passed away.

APIIC to make land allotments transparent

APIIC resumed 4,000 acres given to 562 units for non-implementation of projects

Corporation served notices to 2,123 units so far for failure to set up units

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HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation will make its land allotment process transparent by seeking only online applications for setting up industries.

As per new online process launched by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Chairman S. Siva Rama Subrahmanyam here on Thursday, an entrepreneur could upload his application in the APIIC's website www.apiic.in for a plot in any industrial park in the 15 APIIC zones in the State.

Anyone can access

Anyone could access the website to know about applications and allotments.

Disclosing this in a media conference, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director B.R. Meena said that the sanctioning committee would consider only applications uploaded online for the land allotment.

The applicant would also mention in his online application the type of industry, project report, investment proposed, employment potential etc.

Real estate projects

“The objective is to make APIIC into a transparent institution and encourage genuine entrepreneurs. At the same time keep at bay those acquiring land in the name of industry for promoting real estate projects later,” Mr. Subrahmanyam said.

In the same spirit, the APIIC had resumed 4,000 acres of land given to 562 units (including Caparo -2,000 acres and Unitech -1,750 acres) for non-implementation of projects.

In all, the corporation served notices to 2,123 units so far for failure to set up units, Mr. Meena said.

Performance

About APIIC performance in 2010-11, he said 4,830 acres of plots/land were allotted to 681 units with projected investment of Rs.19,755 crore and employment potential of 72,691 persons. While APIIC acquired 7,582 acres of land for development to be given for industrial purpose in 2010-11, it acquired 651 acres till June 2011. In a sign of industrial growth in the State, its revenue during 2010-11 was Rs.606 crore as against Rs.550 crore in the previous year.

SEZs

The total exports from SEZs under APIIC purview during 2010-11stood at Rs.1,879 crore, providing employment to 16,119 people. Of these, 17 SEZs were developed by APIIC, four as joint ventures and 23 by private entities assisted by the Corporation.

New projects

About new projects, Mr. Meena said 16 companies would be coming up in Aerospace SEZ with Tata Advanced systems serving as the anchor industry with total investment of Rs.2,500 crore.

The other PSU investments expected are Rs.2,000 crore from BHEL in Fab City, Rs.4000 crore from HAL, Rs.3,000 crore from BDL in six places in the State.

Yajur Mandir was a ‘Swiss bank’

The opening of Yajur Mandir, Satya Sai Baba’s personal chambers last week and the subsequent events have given the lie to the claim of the Satya Sai Central Trust’s claim that it accepted donations only through cheques

Instead, it appears that the Yajur Mandir was a mini-Swiss bank for top political leaders, celebrities and industrialists to deposit their black money as the government had exempted the trust from reporting its income and expenditure details. An employee in Prashanti Nilayam said that a kilometre-long road connecting Yajur Mandir to the Hill View Stadium was the channel for depositing the stash.

It is learnt that some persons in Prashanti Nilayam are smuggling the trove to safe locations. It is learnt that heaps of jewellery and precious diamonds were not counted when the inventory of the treasure trove was taken at Yajur Mandir with a view to shifting them to safe destination. Last week’s seizure of Rs 35 lakh was a part of this operation, it is suspected.

Giving the lie to the trust’s claim that money was accepted by cheque, one of the 12 people who donated for the construction of the baba’s mahasamadhi, Prof Raghavendra Prasad, said over telephone that he donated had Rs 2 lakh in cash after Mr Ratnakar suggested that he hand over the amount to the contractor in Prashanti Nilayam on June 6. Stating that he was a professor at the Indian institute of Astrophysics in Bengaluru, he added that his brother and brother-in-law had also donated cash for the works. Questions are being raised over why Mr Ratnakar asked for donations in cash.

Congress decries T political JAC deadline

HYDERABAD: The Congress party had taken objection to the diktats of the Telangana political JAC asking them to tender their resignations on the Telangana issue. 


Expressing anguish at the tone and tenor of the political T JAC, all-India Congress Committee secretary Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy on Wednesday said that they were equally concerned about achieving Telangana at the earliest. 


"We have already given our commitment to people in the region on the formation of Telangana. Our roadmap for achieving statehood to Telangana is ready and we need not take instructions from anyone. We have a plan of action and we will abide it." 


Reddy said during a recent meeting with union defence minister A K Antony, we were informed that the Congress high command was equally concerned and seized about the T issue. He said, "Though we welcome anyone who supports our cause for Telangana, no one can dictate terms to us. In fact, we have a greater responsibility when it comes to realising statehood to Telangana. We are going in a systematic and meaningful way. We will not allow anyone to ride on our back."

Minister promises ring road

KURNOOL: Minister for Minor Irrigation T.G. Venkatesh embarked upon a mega project to construct a dozen community halls worth Rs. 4.68 crore in the city. On Wednesday, he laid foundation for 12 community halls and planned to initiate another four soon.

Addressing a series of meetings after laying stone at Chinmaya School, Nehru Memorial School, Kids World Park, Dharmapet, KVR College, Narasimha Reddy Nagar, Labour Colony, Teachers Colony, Illur Nagar, Chanikyapuri, Sriramnagar and C. Camp, he promised a ring road around the city at a cost of Rs. 30 crore.

The Minister said funds were being pooled from different sources like MLA, MPLADS, and MLC funds to take up the comprehensive project. He said a track was being laid along the bund of KC canal at a cost of Rs. 50 crore which would be a multi-purpose utility. The Minister said development works were planned in a comprehensive way meeting the every day needs of public in the entire city. Community halls, roads, parks, health centres and even burial grounds were thought to be essentials in the city. He said a sanitation drive would be launched in the next phase to shift dust bins which became breeding ground for pigs. He sought cooperation of the people. Collector Ramsankar Naik, Municipal Commissioner Balakrishna, and Municipal Engineer Rajasekhar were present.

Geeta Reddy invites investments from UK

Fruitful visit:Minister for Major Industries Geeta Reddy with delegates in London.

HYDERABAD: Major Industries Minister J. Geeta Reddy on Tuesday made a elaborate presentation on the industrial policy initiatives to industrialists of United Kingdom.

Dr. Geeta Reddy, who led a delegation from Andhra Pradesh, briefed the industrialists about the industrial development and investment opportunity in the State.

She read the message of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. About 45 industrialists, both British Indians and Britishers, attended the programme. Three trade delegations agreed to visit Andhra Pradesh for making investments in the State .

The delegation visited Brunel University and the innovation centres and discussed Collaboration with Brunel University.

Congress leaders differ on Warangal attacks

APCC president Botcha Satyanarayana holding a meeting with former Minister Jupalli Krishna Rao and other party leaders of Mahabubnagar district, in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: Congress leaders are divided in their reaction to the manner in which the Ministers and party MPs came under attack when they had gone to pay their last respects to Telangana ideologue K. Jayashankar, who passed away on Tuesday.

While some termed it as the reflection of the mood of the people against the Congress party's delay in announcing Telangana, others faulted the physical attacks.

Ministers -- Ponnala Lakshmaiah and P. Shankar Rao besides MP S. Rajaiah were heckled and attacked by the angry-mourners at the Ekashila Park in Warangal, where the mortal remains of late Jayashankar was kept for last glimpse on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Handlooms and Textiles Minister P. Shankar Rao said anti-social elements and those opposed to the statehood were behind the attack. He said there was no reason for the Telangana protagonists to target him as he had always espoused the cause of statehood.

But, Nagarkurnool MP Manda Jagannath said the attack only showed that people had no faith in the Congress party. “We are unable to tour the villages as the pro-Telangana activists are confronting us demanding a solution to the statehood issue. If there is further delay, the situation will be tough for the ruling party leaders,” he said after meeting the APCC president Botcha Satyanarayana along with former Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Wednesday.

The MP said it was time the ruling party fulfilled its promise of creating separate State. He said after July 5, the Congress elected representatives would be forced to launch indefinite fast in support of their demand.

AICC secretary P. Sudhakar Reddy lamented that it was unfortunate that some persons decided to target the ruling party leaders.

‘Scope for getting 20,000 houses under RAY for city'

VIJAYAWADA: There was scope of constructing 20,000 houses under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) in Vijayawada city, Chief Minister N.Kiran Kumar Reddy, has said.

Addressing beneficiaries who were allotted 1,056 housing units in the JNNURM housing facility at Disney Land here on Tuesday the Chief Minister said that the Congress party had promised housing for the poor in the 2004 election manifesto and it planned to make Andhra Pradesh a “hut-less” State by constructing the required 40 lakh housing units.

But over the years the number of housing units being constructed by the State Government had increased to 86.75 lakh and out of the houses being built, 51 lakh housing units had already been completed and the rest were in different stages of construction.

The Government had sanctioned construction of 28,000 housing units in Vijayawada city. Land could be secured for 18,000 housing units till now and land needed to be found for the construction of the remaining 10,000 housing units. He said the State Government would not object to any kind of arrangement for the acquisition of land for the building of the remaining 10,000 housing units.

Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu said that the housing schemes had transformed the area where nothing existed till as recent as 2009. He said the State Government had sanctioned a junior college and a Railway Playground was also going to be developed. There was however a need for two police stations in the area.

Secondary Education Minister K. Parthasarathi said the political parties that were saying that there was no development in the city were blind and deaf.

He said the Left Parties that were at the helm of affairs for some time should ask themselves what they had achieved in their regime. He said that he lived in an apartment in Hyderabad, but the infrastructure being provided to the beneficiaries that have been allotted under JNNURM housing was even better.

Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, . Mines and Geology Minister Galla Aruna Kumari and others spoke.

Decision soon on land for port: Kiran

In sync!Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy arriving on a well-decorated bullock cart to the public meeting venue at Kanuru in Vijayawada on Tuesday.

VIJAYAWADA: A decision will be taken in 15 days on the extent of acquisition of farmers' land for handing over to developers of the Bandar port at Machilipatnam, Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy has said.

At a public meeting here on Tuesday, he asserted that the Government had agreed in principle to provide all permissions to the consortium for taking up port development works and there was clarity as to how much Government land had to be given. But on the question of farmers' land, there were certain issues and a decision would be taken soon, he added.

At the largely-attended meeting of DWCRA women's group members on VR Siddhartha Engineering College at Kanur, Mr. Reddy said that the issue regarding handing over of the land for the development of Gannavaram airport would also be solved soon.

He appealed to land owners not to worry about proposed bank loans to tenant farmers as owners would not be made accountable for these loans in any manner.

Mr. Reddy devoted most part of his speech to welfare programmes related to women, and said that his Government was exploring ways to provide bank loans to women's self-help group members at an interest less than even 25 paise.

The Government's commitment to improve the lot of women was evident from the fact that loans worth Rs. 7,080 crore had been provided to them last year while the amount would be increased this year to Rs. 9,880 crore.

Stating that house site pattas would be given in the name of women only, Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy said that in the local body elections, 50 per cent reservations would be strictly implemented to ensure greater empowerment of women as per the wishes of the Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

He said that it was a matter of pride that the mission to construct 1,065 high schools with Rs. 35 lakh each was begun with Krishna district and it would help bring back all school dropouts in the State.

Secondary Education Minister K. Parthasarathy presided over the meeting while in-charge Minister Galla Aruna Kumari and MP Lagadapati Rajagopal spoke.

Also present were Primary Education Minister S. Sailajanath, Eluru MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, zilla parishad chairman Kukkala Nageswara Rao, MLAs Yelamanchili Ravi, Malladi Vishnu, Perni Venkataramaiah, Vellampalli Srinivas, and former ministers Devineni Nehru and Mandali Buddha Prasad.

‘Only Congress can ensure welfare of people'

Ex gratia: Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and MP Killi Kruparani presenting cheques to family members of those killed in firing during the agitation against thermal plant at Dandugopalapuram in Santabommali mandal on Tuesday.

SRIKAKULAM: Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao has said only Congress can save the country and ensure welfare of all sections including farmers. While participating in developmental programmes in Santabommali mandal, he lauded the 'sacrifices' of Jawaharlal Nehru's family. He also hailed the decision of Rahul Gandhi not to accept the Prime Minister's post at this juncture.

He addressed a meeting Dandugopalapuram after inaugurating a primary health centre in the village.

“Many people resigned to their respective parties if the Chief Minister's post is denied. But one should know the sacrifices of Rahul Gandhi, who has turned down the proposal of becoming Prime Minister having all the qualifications,” he added. The Minister said Mr.Rahul Gandhi was the best person to take charge as the Prime Minister and it was wish of many people of the country.

“Unlike other parties, Congress does not belong to any caste or creed. It takes care of every section,” he said. Reacting to questions of locals, Mr. Prasada Rao said the government was taking care of farmers by providing, seeds and fertilizers at subsidised rates and loans at cheaper interest rates” MP Killi Kruparani said many developmental works were taken up in rural areas as the Congress did not politicise the welfare and developmental activities. The Minister's tour went off peacefully though it was organised in Santabommali mandal where agitations took place against the establishment of the power plant. Leaders of the Kakarapalli Thermal Vyatireka Porata Samiti submitted a memorandum to the Minister urging him to stop the project works.Heavy security has been arranged for the Minister's tour to avoid untoward incidents.