The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR's new slogan `Inform to transform'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 08, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR's new slogan `Inform to transform'

By W. Chandrakanth

HYDERABAD, APRIL 7. The State Government is launching a unique `public audit' facility titled `Praja Patham' for an on-the-spot-assessment of its programmes by knocking the doors of people from April 11.

For the next 30 days, officials led by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, will fan out to all corners of the State on a mass contact programme to know the impact of welfare measures. Accompanying the officials, MLAs and MPs will seek public opinion on the programmes of the Government.

Talking to The Hindu on Thursday from New Delhi where he had gone to attend the Planning Commission meeting, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy, said `Praja Patham' would seek evaluation of his Government's performance. It would, in turn, help fill the gap between `promises and performance'.

Dr. Reddy said: "We have given ourselves a specific socio-economic agenda to uplift the rural economy shattered by the previous regime's anti-people policies. It's imperative for us to know the impact of our agenda on the people's lives.''

His new slogan now is "inform to transform (lives)" for not only ensuring transparency but also for bringing accountability to his administration.

Some of the major assurances of the Congress election manifesto were free power, waiver of power dues of farmers, scrapping of user charges in hospitals, reduction of interest rates to 3 per cent on loans given to women self-help groups from 12-14 per cent, land improvement programme called `Indira Prabha' at a cost of Rs.500 crores (for SCs and STs), Rajiv Yuvashakti for providing employment, and hike in old age and widow pensions (2.5 lakh in all). Dr. Reddy said people would be armed with information on area-wise implementation details and complaints of non-compliance of orders or denial of benefits would be addressed on the spot.

He said during his `Rajiv Palle Baata and Rajiv Nagara Baata', so far, 444 villages in 126 mandals in 46 constituencies had been covered and nearly 50,000 memoranda received on individual and community needs. While 57 per cent of the representations met a favourable response from the Government, the remaining were being processed. "We have promised `Indiramma Rajyam' and will deliver it,'' he asserted.

Meetings with officials

Dr. Reddy convened meetings of MLAs and MPs with the officials to sensitise them to the needs of people. The Pradesh Congress Committee had been asked to depute its leaders to help people identify the problem areas.

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president, K. Keshava Rao, adds: "Our leaders henceforth assume the role of social workers and spread the meaning of good governance."

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

Andhra Pradesh