The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Rival parties stage walkout in Assembly

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Thursday, Mar 22, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Rival parties stage walkout in Assembly

Special Correspondent

"Minister's reply on anganwadi workers' issue inadequate"

HYDERABAD: Members of the Telugu Desam, CPI (M) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi staged a walkout from the Assembly on Wednesday, complaining against the "inadequate" reply from School Education Minister N. Rajyalakshmi on improvement of facilities at anganwadi centres in the State.

Members of the CPI and MIM said they too resented the reply but did not participate in the walkout.

During her reply to a debate on anganwadi centres that was taken up under a calling-attention motion tabled by many members, the Minister ruled out possibility of enhancing the honorarium to anganwadi workers beyond Rs 1,400 a month.

She said anganwadi centres were neglected during the Telugu Desam period leading to mass rally by the workers who were brutally lathicharged. The present dispensation had raised the honorarium two times from Rs. 800 bringing it to the present level.

Ms. Rajyalakshmi, however, offered to appoint anganwadi workers as superintendents as sought by opposition parties, subject to availability of vacancies. Stating the Minister was "not budging an inch", the TDP, TRS and CPI (M) members walked out. The TRS members staged another walkout protesting against the mismatch in the revenue earned in Telangana and expenditure incurred by the State Government in the region.

Leading the walkout during question hour, TRS member Naini Narasimha Reddy alleged that the Government had misled the House by furnishing false information to show higher expenditure.

Earlier, Finance Minister K. Rosaiah said the revenue as well as the expenditure under various heads was the highest in Telangana as compared to coastal and Rayalaseema districts in the last four years. Chada Venkat Reddy (CPI) said the revenue from Telangana was more but the spending less. The expenditure was higher in coastal and Rayalaseema districts.

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