The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Policy initiatives: changes on the anvil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Policy initiatives: changes on the anvil

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 13. Policies and programmes concerning several subjects in the State are in for a modification with the swearing-in of the new Government headed by Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Friday. The free power supply, which Dr. Reddy plans to grant farmers by signing the first file after assuming charge, will constitute a major policy shift. Preparing the ground for the sop, the Principal Secretary, Energy, Jannath Hussain, and the APTransco CMD, Rachel Chatterjee, had yet another meeting today finalising the details.

A list of priorities and promises mentioned in the party's election manifesto is likely to engage the attention of Dr. Reddy for the next few days, the foremost being scrapping of all the 14,000 `belt shops' selling liquor across villages working under licensed shops. A special fund may be created for undertaking a campaign to educate public against the evil of liquor paving way for total prohibition later as mentioned in the manifesto. Things are moving fast in the Civil Supplies Department too in view of the Congress party's promise to reduce the price of rice under the subsidised rice scheme tentatively to Rs. 3.50 from the present Rs. 5.20 per kg. However, a senior Civil Supplies official said the new Government might not hurry on this mater and instead prefer to `study' the issue in totality with the inclusion of the Centrally-sponsored `Antyodaya scheme'.

The Planning Secretary, A. K. Parida, who monitored the Janmabhoomi programme all these years, is also busy preparing notes on the programme in the light of Dr. Reddy's indication three days ago that he might scrap it and introduce a new and a `better scheme' in its place.

Another issue requiring a policy decision is the loan being given by banks to DWCRA groups.

The present loan to these self-help groups, consisting of 60-lakh women-members, is being done through several channels --cooperative, rural and commercial banks -- with the interest payable by them going up to 9 per cent and beyond. It is widely speculated that the new dispensation may reduce the rate to 3.5 per cent.

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