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Friday, Jun 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Briefly

Disappointing budget, says BJP

HYDERABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has termed the State Budget very disappointing and going back on the promises made by the Congress to people. At a press conference here on Thursday, the former MLA, K. Laxman, and the party's official spokesperson, S.V. Seshagiri Rao, said the Congress had failed to deliver on virtually every count. By the Government's own admission, the State's debts stood at Rs. 56,000 crores, which would grow to Rs. 65,000 crores by the end of the financial year. The budget was silent on repayment, they said. Mr. Rao said while the Government had promised to complete 28 irrigation projects in five years with an investment of Rs. 26,000 crores, the budget provided for only Rs. 4,000 crores.

Census data released

Hyderabad: The Census Directorate has released the Primary Census Abstract 2001 pertaining to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Lakshadweep in CD ROMs priced at Rs. 350, according to a press release. This contains data on number of households, population and sex ratio of 0 to six year olds, general population, SCs and STs, literacy rate, workers and their classifications and tables on village summary. Users can generate data on State, district, mandal, towns, villages or town wards on these various indicators. Further information is available on phone numbers 24754367, 24760421 (extension 38).

Subrahmanyam is Special Secretary to CM

Hyderabad: P. Subrahmanyam, an IAS officer of the 1983 batch, assumed charge as Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Thursday. He was earlier in Dhaka serving on an UN assignment. He is considered an expert in rural development. He will be looking after poverty alleviation, weaker sections welfare, revenue, labour, employment and health besides rural development.

Having worked in the posts of Project Director of Integrated Tribal Welfare Agency, Collector, Commissioner of School Education, Director of Textbooks, etc., Dr. Subrahmanyam has joined the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and Pacific, the United Nations Office for Poverty Alleviation Programme.

Hailing from Gudipallipadu village in Nellore district, he holds a Masters degree in Economics from S.V. University and has also completed his Ph.D.

Another IAS officer, M. V. G. K. Bhanu, who belongs to the Assam cadre, is likely to join as Secretary to the Chief Minister, soon.

Justice Somasekhara panel begins work

HYDERABAD: The Justice Somasekhara Commission to probe the Yeleru land scam resumed work on Wednesday, exactly the same day in 1999 when it was quashed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. A press release said the Commission had held several meetings with the concerned on Wednesday and Thursday to take the steps required for commencement of work as soon as possible.

Assumes charge as

CPRO, S.C. Railway

HYDERABAD: Panabaka Krishnaiah, an Indian Railway Traffic Service officer of the 1983 batch, assumed charge as Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the South Central Railway in the Senior Administrative Grade, on Thursday. Mr. Krishnaiah had earlier served in various capacities in the Operations, Commercial Safety, Claims and Coaching Departments of the SCR, apart from working as the CPRO at the SCR headquarters here.

Prior to his taking charge as the CPRO, Mr. Krishnaiah served as the Chief Commercial Manager (Passenger Marketing), on the South Western Railway, Hubli.

TRS joining Cabinet criticised

HYDERABAD: The Janata Party has criticised the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) for joining the State Cabinet on Wednesday and said the move has pushed the issue of Statehood for Telangana into the background. The TRS will now sleep over the issue, the party general secretary, D. Shankar, stated in a press release.

Plea to constitute Land Reforms Ministry

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Labour Union has appealed to the Government to constitute a Land Reforms Ministry, special machinery for distribution of land to landless poor and a board comprising officials, people's representatives and farm labour leaders for solving land related problems.

In a memorandum submitted to the Revenue Minister, Dharmana Prasada Rao, a delegation of the union led by Paturi Ramaiah, CPI (M) MLA and president, and B. Venkat, general secretary, said poverty could be eliminated only through distribution of land. The eminent agriculture scientist and now the National Agriculture Commissioner, M. S. Swaminathan, too had suggested allotment of land to the poor.

TDP MLA's son arrested

CUDDAPAH: Sugavasi Prasad Babu, son of the Telugu Desam Party MLA of Rayachoti, S. Palakondarayudu, was arrested by the Rayachoti police on Wednesday evening. A case had been booked against him for allegedly destroying an electronic voting machine and assaulting a Congress polling agent, Ramana Reddy, on polling day.

Prasad Babu, who is the MPTC member of Masapet, was produced before the Rayachoti Additional District Magistrate court and was released on bail, according to the Assistant Sub-Inspector, Ramachandraiah.

Former MLA dead

HYDERABAD: K. Venkataramaiah, former MLA and leading advocate, died here on Thursday. He leaves two sons and three daughters. A press release said Mr. Venkataramaiah, 82, had represented Gooty in Anantapur district in the Assembly 1978 to 1983.

Interviews postponed

KURNOOL: The interviews for recruitment of backlog vacancies of pharmacist grade-2, lab technician and dark room assistants scheduled for June 26 have been postponed, according to a press note by the District Medical and Health Officer. The postponement was necessitated by the invalidation of the list forwarded by the employment exchange.

The new list would be requisitioned from the exchange.

NTR TDP office-bearers

KURNOOL: The NTR TDP nominated P.V. Kondareddy the district president of the party, Vasantham Venkataramana, vice-president,

A. Madanna general secretary, B. Siva Nagireddy, treasurer and other office-bearers who included vice-presidents, secretaries, joint secretaries and executive members.

Dharna staged

CUDDAPAH: The residents of Tilaknagar in Chinna Chowk panchayat staged dharna in front of the Cuddapah MRO office on Thursday, demanding allotment of house site pattas.

Addressing the protesters, the district general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Labourers Union, P. Krishnamurthy, decried that successive MROs had been negligent on issuing house site pattas and possession certificates for the houses sanctioned to the people of Tilaknagar, who were residing in the area since six years.

SKU V-C gesture

HYDERABAD: Iqbal Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, along with his teaching staff, on Wednesday called on the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and presented him a cheque for Rs. 1.55 lakhs towards the implementation of the free power supply scheme,

according to a press release issued by the Chief Minister's office.

Pensioners' donation

CUDDAPAH: The Cuddapah Pensioners Welfare Association on Thursday sent a contribution of Rs. 3,000 to the bereaved family of the association secretary, M. Sivaramakrishna Rao, who hanged himself on the Kothagudem RDO office premises last year.

Appointed

TIRUPATI: M.Hanumantha Rao, head of anaesthesiology wing at Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) has been appointed its new medical superintendent.

Man murdered

NELLORE: Old rivalry claimed one life in Dagadarti of Nellore district on Thursday.

According to police, V. Nagabhushanam (40), a fruit vendor of Buja Buja Nellore, near Nellore town and a resident of Sunnapubatti area of Dagadarti, was waylaid at Sunnapubatti by a group and was attacked with leathal weapons, resulting in his instantaneous death. Two others were injured in the attack.

Review meet conducted

MADANAPALLE: The district Collector, S.S. Rawat, held a review meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rawat said that the issue of suicide by farmers would be looked at from a humanitarian angle. The Collector instructed the officials to make all efforts to help the farmers.

The Sub-Collector, Madanapalle, Smita Das, and other officials were present on the occasion.

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