Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Panel soon to look into graft cases against officers

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Dec. 22. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has announced that a committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, Mohan Kanda, will be constituted shortly to look into cases of corruption against officers of all India Services and refer them to Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for investigation.

Replying to questions at a news conference on Monday, he asserted that the Government would not be lenient whoever may be involved in cases of corruption.

The permission of the Government of India was required when an officer had to be removed from service. He said the State Government had the powers to entrust to the ACB the cases involving officers of all India services.

He said the Government was keen on curbing corruption in the administration and use IT in a bid to reduce the interface between the citizen and the bureaucracy.

Asked about the Opposition's objection to the announcement of sops by his Government as it was a caretaker administration, he said that Government was a continuous process and he was only doing his duty. Referring to his visit to the cyclone-hit areas, he said: " Had I not gone, they would have said that the Government had failed and that I should resign."

Taking a dig at the Congress earlier demand for President's rule and holding elections in September, he said that the Congress leaders had made the demand as they were afraid of losing the elections.

The TDP's plank of "good governance and good politics" had worked in the past two elections and would work this time also as there was no `anti-incumbency problem here.'

Even the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, had acknowledged that there was `good governance' in Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Naidu, who earlier presented `progress report' to people through TV channels on Education, Health and Sports, said that he was happy with the response he got from stakeholders.

The aim of the Government was to put before people the achievements during the last 100 months and seek their suggestions.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Talks with junior doctors fail
• Small Industries Institute to conduct new course
• Telugu Desam hails court judgment
• Parents of 3.6 lakh kids to get financial aid
• Panel soon to look into graft cases against officers

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu