The Hindu : Azad reiterates welfare measures for all

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

Azad reiterates welfare measures for all

NAIDUPET, JAN. 10. The Congress Working Committee member,

Ghulam Nabi Azad, has reiterated his commitment to ensure welfare measures to all sections of people, by the Congress Government in Andhra Pradesh, which he asserted was certain to be formed after the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Addressing a public meeting at Naidupet, about 54 km. from Nellore on Saturday, he claimed that it was only during Congress regimes that welfare measures were properly extended to all sections of people, particularly women. He pointed that it was the Congress party which provided reservations to various sections and made a specific mention about the reservations in local self bodies, which enabled women to occupy prominent posts in panchayat raj institutions and municipalities.

Such a wide reservations and facilities, asserted Mr. Azad, did not exist even in countries which had become independent 200 to 300 years ago. Referring to developments in Andhra Pradesh, he expressed concern over suicides by farmers and sale of kidneys for survival. Mr. Azad assured that if the Congress forms the Government, such unfortunate incidents would not occur.

Mr. Azad referred to the pension scheme initiated by the Congress Government at Centre, which facilitated payment of Rs. 75 per month to weaker sections of community, including old people, widows and handicapped. Several State Governments belonging to Congress party, provided a matching amount and distributed monthly pension ranging from Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 per month. However it was in Andhra Pradesh, that only the Central amount of Rs. 75 was given to the beneficiaries, that too once in 3 to 6 months.

Mr. Azad made it clear that the Congress Government would ensure prompt payment of full pension every month. The AICC general secretary pointed that it was the party which gave special emphasis on the welfare of the Dalits.

At the public meeting held later at Sullurpet, Mr. Azad, mentioned about the `kickback scandal' in respect of coffins procured by the Defence Ministry during Kargil war, resulting in an over estimate of more than Rs. One lakh per coffin.

He lashed out at the Central and State Governments and pointed that while the NDA-led Government was indulging in a looting spree of the country, its ally and TDP-led Government in Andhra Pradesh was doing the same thing in the State. He charged that the TDP Government here has been selling valuable properties of public sector undertakings for a song.

Thus both are proving to be `Bade Miyan and Chote Miyan', he remarked and appealed to people to reject both the Governments.

The former Chief Minister, N. Janardhana Reddy, who presided, conceded that it was he who felicitated the entry of Chandrababu Naidu into Congress nearly 25 years ago. But now he proved to be a burden on the State and the TDP Government deserves to be voted out. The former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, film director, Dasari Narayana Rao, former legislator of Venkatagiri, N. Rajyalakshmi and others spoke.

The three-day bus yatra, projected as `prajahita sannihita yatra' concluded with a public meeting at Sullurpet, today.

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