The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Liquor policy: BJP Mahila Morcha threatens stir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 21, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Liquor policy: BJP Mahila Morcha threatens stir

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, FEB. 20. The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mahila Morcha has threatened to launch an agitation against the new liquor policy announced by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the Mahila Morcha State president, Y. Swarupa Rani, and the general secretary, K. Rajakumari, said that despite being in power for last nine months, Dr. Reddy's Government had done nothing noteworthy for the uplift of womenfolk.

"By granting permission to open one bar for every 25,000 population, the Congress Government wants to increase its revenue contrary to its pre-poll promise to impose total prohibition," Ms. Swarupa Rani said.

Sharpening the attack against the Congress Government, she said they would take up a long-term agitation and create awareness among people against the new liquor policy.

White paper

Demanding a white paper on the steps being taken by the Government for the welfare of women, she said during the election campaign, Dr. Reddy had promised the moon to women voters.

He had promised loans to DWCRA women at concessional rates, widow and old-age pensions at the doorsteps of people and increase in the salary of anganwadi workers and teachers.

Bank loans

Due to the new liquor policy, incidents of wife beating would go up substantially. She said when women were approaching banks in the rural areas; they were being told bluntly by the staff that they had not received copies of the G.O. on sanction of loans to DWCRA members at four per cent interest.

Free power

Ms. Swarupa Rani wondered why the Government had to put curbs on providing free power to farmers despite the oft-repeated claim by the Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, when he was in the Opposition, that just Rs. 250 crores was enough to fund the free power scheme.

She also described how Mr. Rosaiah used to say that it was very easy to implement the free power scheme by reducing expenditure being incurred by the Government on publicity.

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