Andhra Pradesh   

Priority for farm, irrigation sectors, says YSR

Special Correspondent

Replies to the debate on motion of thanks to Governor

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy said that the guiding principle of his Government would be giving priority to agriculture and irrigation without neglecting other sectors such as industrial development and welfare of the weaker sections.

He referred to the positive outcome of his Government's initiatives, and claimed that the Congress would continue in power for some more terms. The present period under the Congress rule would go down in the State's history as "a golden era," he further maintained.

Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor in the Assembly on Saturday, the Chief Minister said whenever he had any doubts about a policy, he would test against the touchstone of the Gandhian precept — whether it would benefit the poorest man.

Economic indicators

Lacing his marathon four-and-a-half-hour-long reply with barbed swipes at the Telugu Desam, he highlighted what he called the upswing in the State's economic indicators now after remaining below national averages for nine years. His reply was marked by an uproar over certain remarks he made in connection with the murder of Paritala Ravi, TDP legislator.

`Jalayagnam', he said, was not a political slogan but a historical necessity. Funding would be stepped up to facilitate release of water from 11 major and six medium projects for 7.5 lakh acres by July. In another three years, other projects would reach a conclusive stage and ultimately serve a whopping one crore acres, constituting 40 per cent of the target for Bharat Nirman.

Leader of the Opposition N . Chandrababu Naidu intervened to say that his party was not opposed to `Jalayagnam' but only to corruption in irrigation works.

Dr. Reddy said water allocations would be indicated not only for each region but for every village in the irrigation policy which would be finalised in two months. The Government would go ahead with Polavaram project which required no permission from Orissa and Chattisgarh. He would come back to the House the same day next year with an action plan to execute Pranahita-Chevella.

Free power

Amid applause from the Treasury benches, he said free power to farm sector would continue as long as the Congress was in power.

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