Thursday, Nov 13, 2003
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 |
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Andhra Pradesh
By Our Staff Reporter
"This is my aim. I will fulfil it at any cost,'' Mr Naidu declared while addressing an impressive rally after laying the foundation stone for the Tadipudi lift irrigation scheme here. However, he did not reveal his plans on mobilisation of funds for executing the projects even as they were estimated to cost more than Rs 15,000 crores. He said he was determined to turn into lush-green farm fields the water-starved Telangana region and the upland parts in coastal districts of West and East Godavari and Krishna districts by harnessing the Godavari water. Besides, the projects were expected to help in generating 2,300 MW of hydel power. The Chief Minister's commitment to this effect came when Yarra Narayana Swamy, TDP legislator from Tadepalligudem, made a request to Mr. Naidu to make a reality Polavaram project, which was a long-cherished dream in the area. His 45-minute address which had a tinge of an election campaign was aimed at attracting farmers in the drought-prone upland parts and targeted the Congress for its `false' promise on free power for agriculture. He told the farmers that he would prevail upon the Centre the need for 75 per cent paddy procurement by the FCI in the current khariff. "If the FCI fails to do so, the State Government will do it,'' he announced. He laid the foundation stone for the Pidimetla lift scheme and another lift scheme on the Yarra Kalva right canal at East Yadavalli. Striking a personal note while recalling the assassination bid on his life by the outlawed People's War, he however, made it clear that he did not intend to gain political mileage out of the incident as criticised by the Opposition. "The Tirupati incident (PW's attack) has brought about a drastic change in me in order to serve the people with more vigour. I want to be more ruthless in my fight against corruption in administration,'' he said. Even as the Opposition has dubbed the TDP regime under his stewardship pro-rich, Mr Naidu claimed to be headed for a `welfare State'. He recalled that the Government during his eight-year rule had distributed 31 lakh white ration cards meant for distribution of subsidy rice to the poor. In addition, the Government had initiated the process of distributing 31 lakh more cards as part of the boons package. On the irrigation front, the Chief Minister said his Government had spent Rs 9,000 crores to create an additional ayacut of 28 lakh acres. This apart, efforts were under way to bring under cultivation an additional of 40 lakh acres under the Rs 1200-crore AP Micro Irrigation Project, Mr Naidu said and dared the Congress to prove whether any of the Congress-ruled States in the country was pursuing welfare agenda on such a massive scale. The Irrigation Minister, K. Srihari, chaired the function.
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