States Watch

PM Promises Aid for Andhra Farmers

NEW DELHI: The Chief Minister, Shri Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on 8 June apprised the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, about the plight of farmers in the State and the steps initiated by the Government to alleviate the problems in the agrarian sector. The Prime Minister promised the help required. The Chief Minister said the State Government would approach the Centre as and when needed.

The Chief Minister also met the Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar, and the Railway Minister, Shri Laloo Prasad Yadav, seeking expeditious clearance of the pending projects. Dr. Reddy also met the Congress president, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, and discussed the current political situation in the State.

Briefing correspondents, Dr. Reddy said that the Agriculture Minister cleared the pending drought relief by clearing Rs. 77 crores and 1.82 lakh tonnes of rice for drought relief. The State’s request that the Centre direct the Food Corporation of India to procure 5.5 lakh tonnes of rice was acceded to with the limit being fixed at 3 lakh tonnes. The Centre also agreed to release 1.37 lakh tonnes of rice at below the poverty level price of Rs. 5.65 per kg for welfare hostels, a move that would result in a saving of nearly Rs. 42 crores for the State.

The State also sought early release of Rs. 367.47 crores and 5 lakh tonnes of rice from the National Calamity Contingency Fund special component for the December, 2003 cyclone at the earliest. The State requested that the National Agricultural Federation (NAFED) expedite Rs. 31 crores due to it under the market intervention for procurement of chillies. He also requested that NAFED be directed to extend the scheme till mid-July.

Regarding cloud-seeding operations, the State Government has sought assistance from the Centre and subsidy for micro-irrigation. In addition, the State suggested there was urgent need for reforms in reduction of premium for both agriculture and horticulture crop by lowering the premium and raising the Central reimbursement.

The Chief Minister said it was time to amend the existing Seed Act and make it stringent for violators and provide appropriate compensation to farmers by seed companies in the event of seed failure.

At his meeting with Shri Laloo Prasad Yadav the Chief Minister sought the sanction of new lines, introduction of new trains and allocation of more funds in the ensuing railway budget to complete the ongoing lines.

The new lines sought included Cuddapah to Bangalore via Madanapalli, Bhadrachalam to Kovvur, Nadikudi-Narasaraopet-Venkatagiri, Magayyapet and Rayadurg to Tumkur via Kalyandurg-Medaksara.

The State has sought new trains connecting, Secundrabad and Chennai via Kurnool. Intercity day express between Secundrabad and Cuddapah and another connecting Vijayawada and Chennai via Guntur.

PM Assures Cauvery Solution

NEW DELHI : The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh on June 10, said the Centre would find a solution to the vexed Cauvery issue that is "mutually acceptable" to both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

A three-member Central team of the Union Ministry of Water Resources and the Central Water Commission and a senior scientist from the Ministry of Agriculture had left for an on the spot study of the dispute on June 9. It will submit its report in a month’s time. Dr. Manmohan Singh, who received an all-party delegation of Karnataka MPs, here said, "I assure you that we will find a solution to the issue that is mutually acceptable to both sides, and after taking into account all relevant factors."

Briefing on the representation made by the all-party delegation, Union minister of State for programme implementation Shri Oscar Fernandes said, "We made it clear to the Prime Minister that if there is distress it has to be shared and if there is water it has to be shared by the two states." Mr. Fernandes added, "Karnataka had released 3.3 tmc ft. of water to Tamil Nadu as against the stipulated 2.03 tmc ft. at the end of first week of June this year. There is no cause for any apprehension at this stage of the season."

Earlier on June 8, Dr. Manmohan Singh assured a 56 member all party delegation from Tamil Nadu that he would do his best to find a "fair solution" to the contentious Cauvery Water issue. He hoped the solution would be "acceptable to all." The delegation comprising 12 Union Ministers was led by DMK leader Shri Durai Murugan. Leaders of the delegation including, Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar (Congress) and Shri Durai Murugan, after meeting the PM, told mediapersons that Dr. Singh demonstrated urgency to the need for ensuring emergency supply of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Learn from Sonia Gandhi’s Sacrifice: Stokes

SHIMLA: The Pradesh Congress Committee, President, Smt. Vidya Stokes, has said that all Congressmen should learn from the AICC President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, who has made a supreme sacrifice by foregoing the Prime Minister’s post inspite of a strong appeal from partymen all over the country for accepting this position.

Smt. Stokes said that Smt. Gandhi made this sacrifice for the sake of the country and to silence communal forces who wanted to divide the country for their vested interests. "This is a historic moment for all of us as the Nehru-Indira-Rajiv legacy has been made to rest on a solid foundation which in the time to come will benefit the Congress Party and the country as a whole. This is an example worth emulating by all of us." Smt. Stokes said she expected Centre to help Himachal financially and come forward to solve its pending problems including the power share from Punjab. She said every effort is being made in Himachal to strengthen the Congress Party and to implement the promises made to the people.

Jawaharlal Nehru Remembered

KURUKSHETRA: The District Congress Committee observed the death anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. Paying him floral tributes, Shri Pawan Garg, president, DCC said that at a time when India had to largely depend on other countries for most of its basic needs, Pandit Nehru strengthened economic infrastructure by setting up public sector industries to manufacture steel, iron and other important items.

Those who were present on the occasion included former ministers, Dr. Ram Prakash and Shri Devendra Sharma, former MLA Shri Sahib Singh Saini, Pradesh Sevadal organizer Lakshmi Kant Sharma and party leaders Shri Mehar Singh, Shri Mohit Sharma, Shri Budhi Prakash, Shri Darshan Khanna and Dr. Subhash Sharma and others.

Six Independent MLAs Join Congress in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: Congress in Haryana got a shot in the arm as six independent legislators in the State Assembly on 14 June joined the party.

The legislators met party MP from Rohtak and former leader of opposition in the assembly Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Delhi and later called on Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi conveying their decision.

The MLAs are Dev Raj Diwan (Sonipat), Bhim Sen Mehta (Indri), Jai Prakash Gupta (Karnal), Rajinder Singh Bisla (Ballabgarh), Mulla Ram (Narnaul) and Daryo Singh Rajora (Jhajjar).

The legislators later castigated policies and programmes of Om Prakash Chautala government in Haryana. A Congress spokesman said here that the six independent MLAs have taken associate membership of the party. Earlier, two independent MLAs – Uday Bhan (Hassanpur) and Tejvir Singh (Pundri) – had joined the Congress last month.

In the house of 90, the ruling INLD, which previously enjoyed the support of all independents, has only three independents left with them. The effective strength of the Haryana assembly was 87 as three Congress MLAs – Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Jaiprakash and Rao Inderjit Singh – had been elected in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The INLD had 47 MLAs, followed by 17 of Congress, six of BJP, two of HVP and one each of BSP, RPI and NCP. There were 11 independents in the state assembly.

Sacrifice Recalled

KARNAL: Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Sena observed the death anniversary of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, by paying rich tributes to him and recalling his sacrifice. Shri Kanwal Bhasin, Haryana Pradesh president of Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Sena and Karnal Municipal Councillor said that sacrifices made by Shri Rajiv Gandhi cannot be forgotten. Rajivji was dedicated to the welfare of the nation. Now, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has taken up the task of realizing his dreams. "We are proud of Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s saintly act of declining prime minister post. Not only she has demolished the propaganda of fascist forces but is also held in high esteem by the Congress allies."

Shri Satbir Singh, Shri Deepak Sandal, Shri Sampal, Shri Satish Kumar Sagar, Shri Rajesh Anand, Shri Rambhagat Sharma were among others who offered floral tributes to late Shri Rajiv Gandhi.

Congress Raps Eviction Drive in M.P.

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson, Shri Manak Agarwal, on 12 June accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the State of adopting policies detrimental to the interests of the SCs/STs, Dalits and minorities and said that this was explicit from the brutal manner in which the poor slum dwellers belonging to the weaker and deprived sections were being ‘brutally uprooted’ from Bhopal and other parts of the State.

Shri Agarwal made this allegation while addressing a press conference with the former Bhopal Development Authority Chairman, P.C. Sharma, and the former BDA vice-chairman, Ishwar Singh Chauhan, at the State Congress headquarters.

Shri Agarwal said that in the last six months since the formation of the BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh, at least 30,000 slum dwellers had been evicted. Some of the slum dwellers had been residing there for as long as three decades. The situation would not have been so alarming if basic facilities such as shelters, roads, electricity and water had been provided at the alternative sites, Shri Agarwal said that people were being mercilessly dumped at far-off places without any roof on their head and that too when the monsoon was just round the corner.

The former BDA Chairman said that the chief Minister, Smt. Uma Bharti, had assured a delegation earlier that the slum dwellers would not be evicted under the slum clearance campaign till the end of this year’s monsoon season.

The officials who were now working overtime to remove the slums despite the Chief Minister’s assurance were saying that they were only following the orders of the State Minister for Local Administration, Shri Babulal Gaur, Shri Sharma said. He cited a Madhya Pradesh High Court judgement of June 1992 in response to a writ petition to assert that the State Government was bound by the High Court order to protect the interests of the slum dwellers.

Shri Sharma said that in his order Justice Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, who is now the Chief Justice of India, had said that no one having a permanent ‘patta’ (settlement certificate) should be evicted. Only those who were either possessing yearly renewable pattas or were unauthorized residents should be removed. Even they were supposed to be rehabilitated within reasonable distance along with basic facilities, Shri Sharma said quoting from the 1992 High Court order. The Congress leaders warned of an agitation if the State Government continued with its atrocities against the slum dwellers.

Preparing for Civic Polls

SHAHDOL (M.P): The managing committee meeting of the Shahdol District Congress Committee was held here on 29 May to discuss the forthcoming civic elections in November. The meeting was presided over by DCC president, Shri Rakesh Katare. Shri Katare said the membership drive would be carried out aggressively between June and September and disclosed that for the civic elections only active members would be given tickets to contest.

The meeting was attended by Shri Anand Mohan Jaiswal, Jagdish Prasad Shahu, Krishna Chand Chaturvedi, Abdul Sattar, Ashok Singh, Narendra Singh Bagga, Gulbir Singh, Mehfooz Ali, Prakash Bharti, Dhani Singh Panihar, Lal Bahadur Singh and Baldev Singh.

The DCC also organized the 40th death anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru here at the Congress Bhawan on 27 May.

Earlier, on 21 May the death anniversary of former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, was observed at the Congress Bhawan and all the office-bearers and Congress leaders participated in paying floral tributes to their beloved leader.

The Sikh community of the district was happy and excited when Dr. Manmohan Singh was nominated the prime minister by the Congress president, Smt. Sonia Gandhi. A Gurudwara Singh Sabha representative said the Sikhs were proud of the Congress as one from their community has become the prime minister of the country and which would not have been possible in the BJP regime.

Youths Join Congress

BHOPAL: Over 50 youths joined the Congress Party and took party membership in the presence of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary, Shri Govind Goyal. The new members pledged to strengthen the party. The programme was organized by Shri Asad Nawed, general secretary, MPCC (Press Cell).

Those who joined the party included Shri Rakesh Chaudhary, Shri Anil Rajput, Shri Naresh Singh, Shri Sunil Chaudhary Chirag, Shri Pradeep Verma, Shri Sanjay Narayan, Shri Kulwant, Shri Lalit Choube, Shri Sameer Sayeed, Shri Hasan Parewez, Shri Rohit Sharma, Shri Pankaj, Shri Vipin and others.

Tricycle for Handicapped

RAIPUR: On the occasion of 13th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (handicapped welfare cell) president, Shri Mahender Kochar presented a tricycle to 42-year-old Tularam, a physically challenged person.

Paying tributes to the late Prime Minister, Shri Kochar said the country will always remember the sacrifice of Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Rajivji’s dreams will be fulfilled under the strong leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh.

He said that through her ‘Jan Sampark Yatra’, Smt. Gandhi has made live contact with the citizen of India who are impressed by her dedication. Shri Kochar distributed stationery items to handicapped children. Shri Abdul Wahid Kureshi, Shri Aakash Golcha and Shri Yogi Shinde and others were present on the occasion.

Civic Polls Demanded

JAMSHEDPUR: AICC member and senior Congress leader of Jharkhand, Shri Rajesh Kumar Shukla led a party delegation to submit a memorandum to the Governor, Shri Ved Marwaha here recently. The memorandum demanded immediate elections for panchayats and Municipal bodies. It also expressed concern over the lack of decentralization of power in the state which was a dream of Rajiv Gandhi.

The delegation included Shri Sheetal Prasad Pathak, INTUC leader, Shri Sunil Kumar Shukla, Ram Ayodhya Rai, Anil Kumar, Shyam Charan Yadav, Ranjit Kumar Rai and leaders of the frontal organisation.

Rajiv’s Vision – Our Goal

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee on 21 May observed the 13th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, paying glowing tributes to the young leader. Shri B.B. Bahl, President, Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee reminded the youth about the supreme sacrifice made by Rajiv Gandhi. "He had a vision and wanted to lead the country into the twentyfirst century. He revolutionized the I.T. industry in the country and no wonder the country is today harvesting a rich crop. He became Prime Minister when the country was passing through a turmoil due to the assassination of his mother and country’s Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi."

Rajivji handled the situation with great responsibility and tried to bring peace but unfortunately the fate willed otherwise. Shri Bahl said it is for the Congress party to ensure that his vision is carried through the twenty first century and the poor and down-trodden are looked after.

Other prominent leaders, who spoke on the occasion also highlighted the sacrifices made by Nehru-Gandhi parivar. The function concluded with the singing of Ram Dhun. The Congress leaders thereafter went to the school for blind children and distributed sweets and milk. Fruits were also distributed at Kushat Ashram and prayed for the departed soul.

‘Feel Good’ Bubble Bursts

CHOMU (Jaipur): By electing the Congress-led coalition the people of India punctured the feel good bubble of the BJP. Gobindgarh block president, Shri Shanker Lal Chaturvedi said by watching the party’s progress under the leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi, the people have displayed maturity.

By nominating Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, has shown to the people of India that she is not power-hungry. Shri Chaturvedi added that Smt. Gandhi has attained such a stature that the whole world is all praise for her. Those who point out foreign origin are forgetting our own culture which clearly talks of ‘Vasudev Kutumbakam’. Shri Chaturvedi reminded that we should not forget the Nehru-Gandhi family’s sacrifices for the nation. We should also not forget that the spirit of sacrifice flows in the blood of the Congress, he added.

Sonia Gandhi Vichar Yatra

BAGHPAT: Utter Pradesh Congress Committee member and Baghpat district Mahila Congress president, Smt. Lata Chaudhury said here that Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s principles will be spread in the district through a ‘Sonia Gandhi Vichar Yatra’ programme.

Smt. Chaudhury was speaking at a meeting in Badot. "Smt. Sonia Gandhi has taken up the task to realise the dream of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Impressed by her determination the people of India have given a verdict in her favour" she added. District Mahila Congress vice-president, Smt. Saroj Chaudhury said that despite the BJP’s malicious campaign against her origin, Smt. Sonia Gandhi maintained dignity and never indulged in mud-slinging.

Protest Against Mulayam Government

BAGHPAT: Congress workers staged protest against the Mulayam Singh Government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, irregularity in power supply and delay in payment of arrears to sugarcane growers here on June 15. They handed over a memorandum to the District Collector which was addressed to the Governor. Earlier, the Mahila Congress activists led by DMC president Lata Chaudhary burnt the effigy of Mulayam Singh in front of the District Collector’s office.

The protest rally was led by the DCC president, Dr. Yunus Chaudhry and District youth Congress president, Shri Pradyumna Jain, with large number of Congress workers participating in the protest rally.

Tonsuring Protest

INDORE: Congress councilor Shri Ganesh S. Chaudhary of ward-35 got his head tonsured here at a city crossing on 26 May as a mark of protest and penance as the mayor of the BJP-ruled city Municipalty has failed in fulfilling his developmental promises even after a year in office. Shri Ganesh vowed that he would not shave or have hair cut until the demands of ward-35 were fulfilled.