The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Assembly adjourned amid noisy scenes

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Saturday, Mar 24, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Assembly adjourned amid noisy scenes

Special Correspondent

Slogan-shouting TDP members stall the proceedings demanding withdrawal of two GOs on Indiramma

HYDERABAD: The Assembly was adjourned abruptly on Friday amidst noisy scenes after slogan-shouting Telugu Desam members stalled the proceedings, demanding withdrawal of two Government Orders relating to constitution of village-level committees under Indiramma scheme.

Earlier, charging the Government with undermining the local bodies and violating the spirit of the 73rd constitutional amendment, opposition members, including those from the CPI(M), TRS and CPI, urged the Government to withdraw the GOs which, they said, entrusted the committees with selection of beneficiaries for Indiramma.

Rejecting the demand, Panchayat Raj Minister J. C. Diwakar Reddy maintained that the committee would not select the beneficiaries. The selection would be done by the gram sabha and the committee would only coordinate to ensure that various works were executed efficiently. He said that irrespective of the party affiliations or caste, all those living below the poverty line would be covered by welfare activities like housing and pension under the scheme. Earlier replying to the main question, he told N. Janardhan Reddy (TDP) that orders were issued by the Panchayat Raj Department for constitution of the " village-level implementation committee" with sarpanch as chairman to take up monitoring of various activities under Indiramma.

Disputing the Minister's contention, Mr. Janardhan Reddy read out certain contents from GO Ms No.19 which stated that the committee will be primarily responsible for the selection of beneficiaries. Intervening, Backward Classes Minister D. Srinivas reiterated that every eligible beneficiary would be selected by the gram sabha and guidelines were issued in this regard prior to issuing the GO.

At one stage there were heated exchanges between TDP and Congress members even as the former raised slogans. With the din continuing, Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy initially adjourned the House for a 10-minute tea break. When TDP members continued to raise slogans after the House re-assembled, Mr. Reddy adjourned for the day, almost two hours ahead of the scheduled time, as members failed to heed to repeated appeals.

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