The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR team identifies pressing issues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR team identifies pressing issues

By Our Special Correspondent

The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, briefing the media on Cabinet decisions at the Secretariat in Hyderabad on Monday. Flanking him are K. Jana Reddy, Minister for Home, and Mohd. Ali Shabbir, Minister for Information and Public Relations. Photo: P. V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD, MAY 24. The first-ever Cabinet meeting of the new Congress Government here on Monday was devoted mostly to prioritise its policies.

In his opening remarks, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, is learnt to have laid emphasis on implementation of the promises made in the manifesto and providing a clean Government. While the fulfilment of promises required a serious commitment on part of the Ministers and cooperation from the officials, the second one would need 100 per cent honesty, he is said to have told them.

Dr. Reddy and his team urged officials to finalise an action plan for completing pending projects in five years and asked them to switch over to a pro-people governance mode. Care and concern for the poor should be the guiding principle, he is said to have reminded them.

The official investigations into the spate of suicide by farmers brought relief to the Cabinet with the members being informed that out of the 40 suicides reported till date from May 14, at least 25 were not due to indebtedness as mentioned in the media. Still, there could be no apathy on part of the Government and efforts must be directed to prevent further suicide, they were told.

The Chief Minister, who sought constructive suggestions from his team on preventive measures, asked them to ensure efficient operation of the helpline facility.

The Chief Minister is learnt to have warned the Ministers against encouraging corrupt elements in their "peshis.'' Citing the allegations levelled against the previous Government, he reportedly warned them to be careful in the selection of their personal secretaries and assistants as they played a key role in the functioning of the peshis. They were firmly told not to recruit ``any TDP elements."

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Andhra Pradesh