Date:20/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/07/20/stories/2004072005590400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Proposal to upgrade NIMS cleared: Rosaiah

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JULY 19. The Planning Commission has cleared the proposal to upgrade the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here to the level of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, told the Assembly during question time on Monday.

He told M. Ranga Reddy of the Congress that NIMS was one of the six medical institutions in the country to be identified by the Centre for upgrading to the status of AIIMS. The Centre had been asked to provide Rs. 100 crores to assist NIMS in the upgrading, and no amount had been sanctioned so far. He said the project was yet to be started and expressed the hope that the Centre would release the funds.

Per capita income

Replying to Y. Ramakrishnudu of the Telugu Desam, Mr. Rosaiah said the per capita income of Andhra Pradesh had increased from Rs. 6,808 in 1990-91 to Rs. 11,261 in 2003-04, at constant (1993-94) prices. The compound annual growth rate was 3.95 per cent, he said.

Municipal `outsourcing'

Denying that municipal services were likely to be privatised, the Minister for Municipal Administration, K. Ranga Rao, told A. Vivekananda Reddy of the Congress that some municipal works, mainly those relating to sanitation, had been outsourced. The areas covered ranged from 25 per cent to 75 per cent in about 98 municipalities. The Municipal Corporations of Hyderabad, Guntur, Vijayawada and Kurnool had also outsourced sanitation works, he said.

Beedi workers' wages

The Labour Minister, G. Vinod, told K. Ramulu of the Janata Party that the draft notification for the revision of wages for beedi workers would be published later this month. He said the Government would speak to managements to ensure that minimum wages were paid. The Speaker, K. R. Suresh Reddy, said he would convene a meeting with the Government and MLAs from areas concerned to discuss the issue.

Earlier, the question hour proceedings had been stalled for about 15 minutes by members of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI(M)), the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Speaker disallowed their notices for adjournment motions.

The CPI(M) notice concerned excess payment to Lanco and Kondapally while the CPI gave notice on the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission 's order to reduce charges by Lanco and GVK. The BJP had tabled a notice on the concern voiced by students in the wake of the tragedy at Kumbakonam.