STATES

Andhra Pradesh

White Paper on Drought Relief Sought

HYDERABAD : The leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Dr. YS Rajsekhara Reddy, has come down heavily on the State Government for ‘its total failure’ to meet the grim drought situation and demanded a White Paper as to how the funds meant for drought-hit people are being handled.

Addressing a press conference on 6 September, Dr. Reddy charged the Government with discrimination on political lines in the allocation of funds for the crucial balance works in different districts. The Government was so bankrupt that it had no money to meet the transport expenses for distributing the rice made available by the Centre under ‘food for work’, he alleged.

About a dozen MLAs, including CLP deputy leaders - Mr. D Srinivas and Mr. S Vijayarama Raju - were present. The CLP leader said the Chief Minister, Mr. N Chandrababu Naidu, visited Delhi twice to seek Central assistance but not a rupee had been earmarked for the State till now. In comparison, the Karnataka Chief Minister secured a Central advance of Rs. 70 Crores for tackling drought without much ado.

He disputed the Government’s claim of having disbursed Rs. 170 Crores for drought relief till now, adding that it was inclusive of Rs. 27 crores each for crop insurance and DPAP and Rs. 50 crores for Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS). The state was entitled to draw Rs. 208 crores as Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) but it availed of only Rs. 115 crores.

As against 3 lakh tonnes of rice alloted for ‘food for work’ programme, the State had so far drawn 54,000 tonnes but not a tonne had been distributed till now. Creation of one man-day involved 5 kg. of rice and a cash relief of Rs. 30. So far, Rs. 17.75 crore man-days had been lost due to drought, he said.

At the rate of one tonne of rice helping 200 persons, about six crore man-days can be created with the distribution of three lakh tonnes, but involved an outlay of Rs. 180 crores to be made available by the State Government.

The Government had sought about 10 lakh tonnes of rice which meant requirement of Rs. 540 crores to implement the ‘food for work’ scheme. But it was not in a position to meet the transport charges for reaching the foodgrain to the affected people, he said.

The CLP leader said 160 farmers had committed suicide since January 1 and Anantapur district alone accounted for 30 deaths. Power shortage and drinking water scarcity were alarming. Instead of appointing all-party committee to monitor drought relief works, committees dominated by TDP were handling the same. The sarpanches and other Panchayat Raj elected representatives should be entrusted with the job, he added.

Bihar

Memorandum Against Centre

Congress workers on protest dharna in front of the SDM office in Paliganj in Bihar

HAJIPUR : The Congress workers staged a dharna on 25 August in the office of the Patapur Block Development Officer and submitted a memorandum which highlighted Centre’s anti-farmer policy, UTI scam and the Tehelka exposure. The dharna was led by Mr. Tariq Chaudhary and Mr. Asirji, Mr. Suresh Kumar Srivastav, Mr. Sunil Kumar, Mr. Ranjit Kumar, Mr. Paswan and Mr. Sushil Prasad Yadav.

Dharna In Paliganj

PALIGANJ : More than 200 Congress workers sat on a dharna against the UTI scam, Tehelka exposure and the massacre of dalits of Dattmai village here on 25 August, before the Paliganj SDM office. Mr. Rambali Upadhay, president, Block Congress Committee, led the demonstration. Later, the demonstrators handed over a memorandum to the SDM office as the SDM was not present in his office despite prior notice.

Delhi

Self-employment Scheme for SCs

During the year of empowerment of women, the Delhi Chief Minister, Smt. Sheila Dixit, honoured eight women from all walks of life for their contribution to society in their respective fields. Those honoured were Smt. Tara Bhattacharya Grand daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, for social service, Shobna Narayan (dance), Dr. Vimla Ramlingam (Red Cross work), Smt. Bimalbatham (entrepreneur), Smt. Sayeeda Nasim Chisti (communal harmony), Smt. Pramila Arleppa (family planning) and Smt. Roopa Tiwari (classical music).

NEW DELHI : The Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs. Sheila Dixit, distributed financial assistance worth Rs. 1.58 crore to Schedule Caste persons under the various schemes of Delhi Scheduled Castes Financial and Development Corporation Ltd. (DSFDC) at a function held in the premises of Old Secretariat on 6 September. Social Welfare and Labour Minister, Mrs. Krishna Tirath, presided over the function.

Mrs. Sheila Dixit distributed 30 Tata-407 vehicles as well as three cheques for the purchase of vehicles under Transport Loan Scheme. She also distributed cheques worth Rs. 12.60 lakh to 28 persons under Composite Loan Scheme for economic development.

The Chief Minister also distributed cheques worth Rs. 1.84 lakh to 204 students as stipend under Computer Training Programme and cheques worth Rs. 1.78 lakh to 60 girl students as stipend under training schemes in other trades like cutting and tailoring and beauty culture courses run by the DSFDC.

The Delhi Government has decided that loans up to Rs. 50,000 will be granted by DSFDC under Composite Loan Scheme for self-employment. As it has been observed that the banks are not extending full cooperation in granting loans to the desired persons. This scheme has proved to be a success and it is hoped that in this financial year the target to cover 2000 beneficiaries will be achieved very soon. The DSFDC is running several schemes for the overall development of Schedule Caste since 1983 in collaboration with banks.

Apart from this, the DSFDC is seriously considering to introduce a few more attractive and viable schemes this year after getting the essential approval.

The DSFDC is also implementing the schemes for loan for purchase of Maruti Van (Taxi), loan for purchase of CNG three-wheelers as replacement of old one, free computer training for making Delhi a cyber city, training and financial assistance for income-generating activities, financial assistance for purchase of photocopier machines, electronic typewriter, cyclostyle machine and STD booths.

Pondicherry

Floral Tributes to Rajiv Gandhi

Pondicherry Pradesh Congress Committee members paying floral tributes to Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi on his 57th birth anniversary on 20 August

Pondicherry : Floral tributes were paid to Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi on his 57th birth anniversary on 20 August, 2001 by the Pondicherry Pradesh Congress Committee here at the party office. An all-religion prayer meeting was held which was attended by the AICC secretary, Mr. Ramesh Chennithala, MP, Chief Minister, PCC president, ministers, MLA’s, PCC office-bearers, DCC presidents, chiefs of frontal organisations and party workers. Thereafter all the party functionaries went in a procession decorating Rajiv Gandhi’s photo with flowers from the Congress party office to the Rajiv’s statue. On the way thousands of people witnessed the procession. A Sadbhavana pledge was taken by the party functionaries dedicating themselves to unity and integrity of the nation.

Shri Ramesh Chennithala, Chief Minister, PCC president, ministers, MLA’s and party functionaries garlanded the statue of Rajiv Gandhi.

A function was also organised by the State Mahila Congress which distributed fruits, food and sweets to the inmates of Oldage Home to celebrate the birth anniversary of Shri Rajiv Gandhi. The State Youth Congress organised a blood donation camp in the Government General Hospital, Pondicherry. Nearly 100 Youth Congress workers donated blood to mark the occasion. Blood donation camp was inaugurated by Shri Ramesh Chennithala.

The State NSUI organised a tree plantation programme in the rural block of Emblam. Shri Ramesh Chennithala, the PCC president Shri V. Narayanaswamy and other party functionaries participated in the function. Later a seminar was organised with the theme "Rajiv’s Vision of 21st Century". Shri Ramesh Chennithala, Chief Minister, PCC president, PCC office-bearers and frontal wing chiefs spoke at the seminar. o

P.S. Sukumaran
Our Correspondent