MAKING A POINT: CPI(M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu addressing public meeting at Ongole on Thursday.

ONGOLE: CPI(M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu has asked the Congress Government to give up its anti-people policies, lest the CPI(M) should launch agitations.

Mr Raghavulu was here on Thursday to receive the CPI(M) team that completed its padayatra over 800 km in the last 32 days, seeking a special package for the development of Prakasam district. Mr. Raghavulu received the team at Koppole and joined the team to proceed on foot from Koppole to Ongole where a pylon was inaugurated to mark the event.

Fears expressed

Mr. Raghavulu criticised the Government for taking up too many irrigation projects and expressed fears that they may not be completed for want of funds. He asked the Government to give priority for irrigation projects that would benefit backward regions like Rayalaseema, Prakasam, Mahboobnagar and Nalgonda districts and complete them first.

The Government can take up other projects later if funds are available. But the Government is taking up all projects at the same time mainly to benefit contractors.

The Government is doing great injustice to Prakasam district by reducing the tunnel size of Velugonda project, he said and dared the Congress MLAs from the district to take up the issue at the District Development Review Meeting at Ongole on December 26 or lose the next election. He asked them to lend support to the agitation being launched by the CPI(M) for the purpose.

Saying that 15 lakh sheep had died of foot-and-mouth disease in the State, putting shepherds to a great loss, he asked the Government to provide compensation to them.

He also asked the Government to concentrate on distribution of banjar land, ration cards, house-sites and pensions for the poor besides developing backward regions industrially and in irrigation.

CPI(M) district secretary Thavanam Chanchaiah presided.

The padayatra team members, N. Ranga Rao, Pendyala Hanumantha Rao, Subbaravumma and Jalaiah, spoke on their experiences and highlighted problems being faced by handloom weavers and the landless poor in rural areas.

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