The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : We will continue reforms: CM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 16, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

We will continue reforms: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 15. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, today favoured continuation of reforms, "as long as they benefit people but with suitable modifications" and announced filling of all vacant Government posts barring those declared redundant and withdrawal of user charges levied in Government hospitals.

Participating in the "meet-the-press" programme organised by the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, Dr. Reddy was responding to a question on reforms in the light of the defeat of reform-oriented former Congress Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and now Karnataka, the policy on Government jobs and user charges. His Government would also end the system of offering Government jobs on contract.

Fielding a volley of other questions, he spoke of constituting a commission of inquiry, "if necessary," to probe the "scams" that surfaced during the previous Telugu Desam regime, reviewing allotment of Government land around Hyderabad to private parties, a "special package better than that of Karnataka" for farmers who have committed suicide or died of starvation and safeguarding the interest of depositors of urban cooperative banks.

In tune with his promise of providing a transparent Government free of corruption, he would not hesitate to include the Chief Minister's post under the purview of the Lok Ayukta besides bringing about the Right to Information Bill, modelled after the one by the Central Government. Dr. Reddy defended his frequent trips to New Delhi on the ground that the Congress was a national party and he needed to consult the party high command on every small and big issue. In his opening remarks, he complimented the former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's nine-year rule but found fault with him for certain "lopsided priorities'' and "concentration on developing Hyderabad.'' On the issue of reallocation of river waters, his Government would tread cautiously and "we will come out with a policy very soon." He would stand by the promise of completing pending irrigation projects and have definite plans of mobilising adequate resources. He would also look into the domestic water supply tariff structure in Hyderabad.

The Chief Minister denied that the free power supply scheme was populist such as the ones on subsidised rice and prohibition. "It is a well-thought-out productive and incentive-oriented programme to make the farmer grow more. It is one way of compensating the dry land farmer who spends a lot more than those having proper canal irrigation facilities". As for mobilising Rs. 1,600 crores for extending the scheme of free power supply and waiver of electricity dues, it would be reflected in the budget presentation.

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