Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

DRC meet begins on a dull note

Only four Congress MLAs turn up

VIJAYAWADA: The first District Review Committee (DRC) presided over by Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao after being named as the new in-charge minister for Krishna district, at Machilipatnam on Saturday, witnessed thin attendance with only four ruling Congress MLAs being present and the opposition MLAs keeping themselves away from it. This led to the proceedings continuing on a dull note and devoid of any major debate on any issue.

However, there was some drama outside the Zilla Parishad office, when people from Kaikaluru constituency staged a dharna protesting against the delay in the implementation of the rehabilitation package announced for the ousters of Kolleru Lake.

Another group from Vaivaka village in Mudinepalli mandal alleged that the revenue authorities were forcibly taking away lands from their possession on the grounds that they were assigned lands.

The protestors calmed down after Mr. Prasada Rao assured them of redressal of their grievances.

Kankipadu MLA Devineni Rajasekhar (Nehru) pointed out that there was a serious problem of lack of veterinary doctors in the district, to which Mr. Prasada Rao replied that the situation was no better in the remaining part of the State. The Minister said 599 veterinary doctors’ posts were vacant in the State and there were nearly as many vacancies in the paramedics’ category.

Mr. Prasada Rao said there was no response from local students over recruitment of veterinary doctors and even efforts to welcome students from other States did not help in improving the situation.

“Retired veterinary doctors have been contacted, but they are also unwilling to render their services. The Government will come out with ideas to resolve it,” he observed. District Cooperative Marketing Society chairman Kanchi Rama Rao sprang a surprise by demanding division of Krishna district into two entities.

Just like Telangana, the West Krishna remained largely undeveloped and its farmers were struggling endlessly for lack of proper irrigation facilities, he said.

Gannavaram MLA Muddaraboina Venkateswara Rao demanded that a resolution be passed to make it mandatory for even NGOs to invite the local MLA while organising any programme.

Rural Water Supply Minister Pinnamaneni Venkateswara Rao clarified that it was purely a private affair of an NGO and the question of protocol would not arise. Animal Husbandry Minister Mandali Buddha Prasad, Zilla Parishad chairman K. Nageswara Rao were present.

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