The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP, BJP walkout over drought

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP, BJP walkout over drought

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, DEC. 13. Telugu Desam and BJP members staged a walkout in the Assembly during question hour today in protest against the Government's handling of drought and for `failing' to get adequate Central assistance.

Before leading the walkout, the Leader of the Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu, accused the Government of neglecting drought-hit Karimnagar, Medak and Nizamabad districts by not including them in the National Food - for-work programme. He alleged that employment generation works were not taken up and people had migrated from the affected areas.

He demanded extension of drought pension to 20 lakh people as was done by the TDP regime, waiver of students' fee, rescheduling of crop loans, agricultural input subsidy and adequate funds for drinking water and fodder.

G. Kishan Reddy (BJP) demanded extension of the National Food-for-work programme to all drought-hit mandals. The floor leaders of the CPI(M) and the CPI -- N. Narasimaiah and Ch.Venkat Reddy -- also voiced displeasure over the Government's tackling of the drought.

Central aid

Replying to the main question by N. Janardhana Reddy (TDP) and others, the Revenue Minister, D. Prasada Rao, said the Centre had been requested to sanction Rs. 1,200-crore assistance from the National Calamity Contingency Fund and 22.50 lakh tonnes of rice. A communication was received two days ago from the Centre that 2.2 lakh tonnes of rice was released. The State had already written to the Centre to extend the National Food-for-work programme to more districts.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh