The Hindu : APCC chief alleges neglect of core sectors

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 23, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

APCC chief alleges neglect of core sectors

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, FEB. 22. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president, D. Srinivas, has said that the Congress, after coming to power, will critically evaluate the huge loan taken by the Telugu Desam Government from the World Bank and analyse the state of assets created by it.

Participating in a meet the press programme organised here by the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ), Karimnagar unit, on Sunday, Mr. Srinivas said the whole transaction between the TDP Government and the World Bank would be scrutinised. He alleged that the TDP Government had made debts to the tune of Rs. 46,000 crores during its eight and half year regime and failed to create any infrastructure and neglected the core sectors of irrigation, agriculture and industries.

To a question on repayment of the World Bank loans if voted to power, he said: "we will have an opportunity to evaluate the previous Government's decisions accordingly." The loan repayment without creation of any assets does not arise, he pointed out. On the other hand, the Congress, during its regime had got the World Bank loan of Rs. 12,000 crores and constructed major irrigation projects like SRSP, Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam.

With regard to alliance with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Mr. Srinivas said: "we are committed to alliance with like-minded parties. We do not want the anti-government vote split and ensure the defeat of TDP-BJP combine.'' He said the Congress offered 38 Assembly seats and five Lok Sabha seats or 40 Assembly and four Lok Sabha seats for the TRS.

He said the party had planned for an alliance with the like-minded parties to defeat the TDP as its policies were `anti-people' and `anti-farmer.'

The APCC president said seven sub-committees for formulation of election manifesto were constituted. He reiterated that the Congress was committed to distribution of nine-hour free power supply to the agriculture sector and one bulb free power to the below poverty line sections. He alleged that the TDP Government has no concern for development of the State.

To a question, he said the long-pending Inchampally irrigation project would be taken as a national project, if the Congress was voted to power. The APUWJ district president, M. Mallaiah, the secretary, Md. Imran, and others were present.

Call to intellectuals

Mr. Srinivas called upon intellectuals to play a key role for the victory of the Congress in the coming elections.

Participating as chief guest in the district intellectuals' convention organised by the DCC doctors' cell at IMA hall in the town on Sunday, the PCC president called upon intellectuals to be in the forefront to protect democracy by rising to the occasion in the coming elections to elect an able Government.

Alleging that the TDP Government was acting at the diktats of the World Bank conditions, he charged that the State Government was performing based on the conditions of the World Bank president. Ridiculing the statements made by the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, for talking on the foreign origin of the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, when she was very much Indian, he flayed the State Government for mortgaging the Andhra Pradesh state to the World Bank.

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