Date:01/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/07/01/stories/2004070108160400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Busy schedule awaits PM

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 30. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, will visit Somayajulapalli and Dharmapur villages in Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts on Thursday on a day's visit to the State to make the first-hand assessment of the crisis gripping the farm sector.

His main engagement is at Somayajulapalli where he will interact for 45 minutes with bereaved families of the farmers who committed suicide due to crop failure or heavy debt burden. He will also visit a photo exhibition and attend a presentation on the relief measures taken by the State Government.

Dr. Singh is scheduled to arrive here by a special IAF Boeing from New Delhi at 10 a.m. After a ceremonial reception at the airport, he will fly by an MI-8 helicopter to reach Somayajulapalli at 11.30 a.m. He will land at Dharmapur village at 2.35 p.m. and interact with another group of bereaved families of farmers.

The Prime Minister will return to Hyderabad at 4.10 p.m. and drive straight to Raj Bhavan. He will meet leaders of political parties from 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. and hold a review meeting with officials before leaving from the airport at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, told reporters that representatives of the Congress and its friendly parties would submit a joint memorandum to Dr. Singh at Raj Bhavan on drought, farmers' problems and other issues. The delegation fine-tuned its memorandum on Wednesday.

The delegation would meet the Prime Minister for 20 minutes from 5 p.m.

Before the meeting, the Chief Minister, accompanied by the Finance Minister, would present a report to the Prime Minister. It is learnt that the Government would reiterate its plea for greater attention to the State projects. Mr. Rosaiah will make the presentation.

The TDP and the BJP have resolved to meet the Prime Minister in their own delegations.