The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : ‘Rice scheme from January or April’

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Thursday, Oct 11, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

‘Rice scheme from January or April’

Andhra Pradesh Bureau

CM makes whirlwind tour of Kurnool, Anantapur, Chittoor districts

Photo: U. Subramanyam

Sops galore: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy presenting clothes to a couple after inaugurating the Indiramma houses at Obulapuram on Wednesday.

ANANTAPUR/KURNOOL/TIRUPATI: The Government is planning to launch the much-publicised Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme either from January or April next, according to Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Making the announcement amid applause from a huge gathering after inaugurating the biggest Indiramma housing colony in the State near Dharmavaram in Anantapur district on Wednesday, Dr. Reddy said the rice scheme was aimed at benefiting families living below the poverty line. He made a whirlwind tour of Kurnool, Anantapur and Chittoor districts to take part in mass house-warming ceremonies in houses built under Indiramma.

Launching a frontal attack on the Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu for accusing the Congress party of hijacking the subsidised rice scheme, he sought to know whether Mr. Naidu headed the original TDP founded by N. T. Rama Rao since he had usurped power by backstabbing him and completely diluting the rice scheme.

“The ground is slipping from under the feet of TDP as my Government is implementing numerous welfare schemes for the poor. Mr. Naidu’s dreams of bouncing back to power are evaporating,” Dr. Reddy said.

Festive look

Obulapuram, a small hamlet in Dhone mandal in Kurnool district, wore a festive look on Wednesday as the Chief Minister formally inaugurated the Indiramma houses.

He greeted the couples owning the new houses by entering their dwellings and presenting a pair of new clothes each. Addressing a public meeting in Dhone, Dr. Reddy said all the promises made by the Congress party on the eve of the election were fulfilled. In fact, even some of the schemes not promised earlier like National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme were also gifted to public, he noted.

Rounding of his tour in Ithepalle in Chandragiri constituency of Chittoor district, the Chief Minister ridiculed Mr. Naidu for his reported claim that the rice subsidy scheme was a patent of the TDP and that the Congress was trying to hijack it.

“What right does he have to stake claim on the scheme which he never implemented? People are not naïve enough to get hoodwinked for the second time,” he observed.

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