The Hindu : National : "Our doors are open to naxalites for talks"

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Monday, May 09, 2005

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National

"Our doors are open to naxalites for talks"

V. Jayanth

Maoists must lay down arms, says Rajasekhara Reddy

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy waves to supporters. He will be completing one year in office on May 14. — Photo: Satish H

HYDERABAD: "Our doors are always open and it is up to the Maoists to resume talks. But we also realise that maintaining law and order is our responsibility. Let us see what happens next," Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said on Sunday.

But he was clear about the bottom line. "Ultimately, they must lay down arms. Otherwise, there can be no lasting peace or settlement. We are insisting on that," Dr. Reddy said during a half-hour interview to The Hindu here.

Dr. Reddy said: "When the People's War came together with the Maoists, their attitude changed. They were in a different mood before that." The Chief Minister had organised a series of one-to-one meetings with senior journalists from outside the State in connection with the first anniversary of his assuming office — May 14.

`Not just agriculture'

He spent quite some time to dispel the notion that his Government was committed only to irrigation and agriculture.

"They are our main focus areas, but that does not mean we neglect any other sector. Industries and Information Technology are as important. But I am convinced that unless the rural and agricultural economy takes off, the people will not benefit from the developments. Hence, our vision for the rural economy."

Volkswagen's decision to locate its manufacturing unit near the port city of Visakhapatnam has come as a shot in the arm for his Government.

Dr. Reddy said a team from the German auto major would be in the city on May 20 to meet the local manufacturers and prospective suppliers. During the visit, the details of the project could be firmed up.

He said the IT sector was looking up and the State's software exports had touched Rs. 8,300 crores in 2004-05 compared to just Rs. 5,200 crores the previous year.

To a question on the opposition Telugu Desam Party's allegations on the tender procedures and cost estimates for the major irrigation projects announced by his Government, Dr. Reddy said: "Till now they have not been able to come up with an iota of evidence against any of these projects. We are conducting an open public debate every Sunday on each of these projects... The TDP has not produced any evidence to back their charges. But these debates have helped to explain the benefits of the projects to the people."

The Chief Minister said the TDP was "afraid" that the Congress would get "fully entrenched in power" if all these projects were completed as planned.

"I can tell you we will stick to our schedule and the people, especially in the rural areas will reap the benefits. The Congress cannot be dislodged for at least two decades," he said.

Only 70 lakh acres were under cultivation in Andhra over the past 100 years, but when the irrigation projects were implemented an additional 65 lakh acres would be irrigated.

Water disputes

Asked about the inter-State river water disputes, especially over the Krishna, Dr. Reddy replied: "Several lower riparian States face the same problem. Only a proper understanding and truthful adherence to norms is the answer to this problem. But an honest attitude to implement the tribunal awards is needed to resolve these disputes. That is the reason we are also trying to harness the Godavari waters, which are now going to the sea. It may be a costly solution. But it can compensate for the inadequate flows into the Krishna from Karnataka."

On the problem with Tamil Nadu over the supply of Krishna water to Chennai, Dr. Reddy said: "We have been doing our best. Even last season we released three tmcft of water though we had problems. The remaining work on the Telugu Ganga project will be completed over the next 12 to 18 months and that should remove the bottlenecks in supply."

But his passion, it was obvious, lay in the micro-credit scheme his Government had launched. The last financial year about Rs. 1,200 crores had been made available through the network of women self-help groups in the State at just three per cent interest.

The State bore the rest of the six per cent. Such credit had not even been dreamt of in the past, when people paid up to 24 per cent to private moneylenders, he explained.

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