Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Govt. to enact legislation to fight corruption

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD OCT. 29. In a major step against corruption in offices, the Andhra Pradesh Government today decided to introduce three pieces of legislation for control, enforcement and effective campaigning as per the recommendations made of the Commission on People Empowerment.

A Cabinet Sub-Committee will prepare the draft bills for enactment of the legislations besides chalking out steps for creating mass awareness to fight the scourge.

The decisions to this effect were taken by the Cabinet at its meeting here today chaired by the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu.

According to a briefing made later by the Information and Public Relations Minister, S. Chandramohan Reddy, the three legislative pieces for which approval was given by the Cabinet are: the Andhra Pradesh Performance Accountability Bill, the Corrupt Public Servants Forfeiture of Properties Bill and the Andhra Pradesh Transparency in Public Procurement Bill. The laws would provide for fixing an official for lapses by means of accountability, forfeiture of the properties of the officials found guilty, and transparent procedures such as e-procurement for purchase of materials through tenders. All the present anti-corruption bureau cases would be expedited with sufficient protection to honest and innocent officials.

The Minister said flexibility would be established in making GOs available to public and citizens' charters which would go a long way in ensuring accountability.In view of the drought conditions in some parts of the State, the Cabinet resolved to extend the package given to farmers up to March 31 next with the waiver of penal interest on crop loans in drought-hit mandals and continuance of reduced interest rate at 5 per cent for other mandals.

Other major decisions taken at the meeting were conducting the next phase of "Chaduvula Panduga" (literacy campaign) for a week from November 10 for enrolling children and approving the draft ordinance to make the removal of vice-president of a municipality a bit rigid with the insistence of a two-thirds majority for such a step and not a single-vote majority as was done so far. Nod was given for allowing Tourism Development Corporation to construct a five-star hotel on the vacant land of the Greenlands Guesthouse with 13 rooms.In line with the recommendations of the Anomalies Committee, the payscale for the officers of the rank of deputy commissioner in the Panchayat Raj Department was enhanced to Rs. 10,950-17,750.

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