Date:18/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/18/stories/2004081809420400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Chief Minister's concern over farmers' travails

By Our Special Correspondent

ENAKKUM TAMIL TERIYUM!: The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, breaks into a laugh as he interacts with the Madanambedu sarpanch, Selvi, in broken Tamil during his Rajiv Pallebata programme on Tuesday in the Tamil-dominated Sathyavedu constitu ency.

TIRUPTI, AUG. 17. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, today reiterated that his Government was concerned about the travails of the farming community and that the efforts would be for putting the `badly mauled' rural economy back on the track.

"My Government is committed to re-establishing the `Indiramma Rajyam' in the State under stewardship of Sonia Gandhi who has told me time and again that I should first wipe out the tears off the eyes of women-- the worst victims of the TDP regime," Dr. Reddy said. The Chief Minister, who was on his maiden visit to the district after assuming office, was participating in the `Rajiv Pallebata' programme in the Sathyavedu and Srikalahasti constituencies on the Tamil Nadu border, and interacted with farmers, weavers, rural artisans and DWCRA groups. While heaping praises on Ms. Sonia Gandhi, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy did not miss an occasion to take potshots at his beta noire, Chandrababu Naidu, and his TDP Government. He held the Naidu Government squarely responsible for farmers' suicide.

40 lakh houses

It was in this context that he recalled a decision taken by his Government to build 40 lakh houses in next five years, including six lakhs, this fiscal alone. He said he was conscious of the two more major poll promises which were still pending and announced that they would be fulfilled in the next three or four months. "I am seized of the matter," he said, referring to the two unfulfilled promises-- free power supply to households with one bulb and hiking of pension to widows and physically challenged.

Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy said that while the State Bank of India was trying to rise up to the occasion vis-a-vis the distribution and rescheduling of loans to farmers, the grameena banks were not up to the mark and wondered whether he must take it up again with the concerned.