The Union Minister, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, at Lake View guest house in Hyderabad on Monday.

HYDERABAD: The Union Rural Development Minister and UPA sub-committee member on Telangana, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, has said there is no deadline for the panel to submit its report on the issue of recommending statehood for Telangana.

He told reporters here on Monday that the panel was in the process of eliciting the views of all political parties to arrive at a consensus. Some parties have clarified their stand, while some others were yet to do so.

Shortly afterwards, Mr. Singh's deputy in the Rural Development Ministry and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader, A. Narendra, said separately that his information was that the committee would submit its report by June 30 or July 15 at the latest.

Answering questions on the prospects of the Rashtriya Janata Dal tying up with the Lok Janashakti Party in the Bihar elections, Mr. Singh said the RJD would welcome as many parties as possible to join a common front to keep the NDA partners away from power. He predicted the `washout' of the NDA in the Bihar polls.

The Union Minister said November was the ideal time for elections, as several areas in the State would be marooned with floods in the rainy season. At least 20 districts would be cut off from the outside world, he said.

Reject `poor quality' rice

Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh admitted that there were complaints from States about receipt of poor quality rice under the National Food For Work (FFW) programme. He said the State Governments were free to reject such rice and accept only good quality rice.

Mr. Singh said the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, had desired that the Centre address the drinking water problem in the districts not chosen under the National FFW programme. His request was conceded.

The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 208 crores for the State to meet the drinking water requirement.

The Government wanted to ensure availability, quality and sustainability of water. It was reviving the sub-mission programme under the Rajiv Gandhi Mission to meet the problem of fluoride water.

He said that the perspective plan for the national FFW would be finalised by the month-end.

Mr. Singh was here to participate in a conference of Collectors from districts in southern India where the National FFW is being implemented.

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