Date:13/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/13/stories/2004121304930600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Campaign for projects stepped up

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 12. The Youth Congress and the party-backed `Committee for Irrigation Projects' have embarked on a novel programme to garner people's support for the projects.

They have come up with a 50-metre-long banner showcasing the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy's plan of ``Mahajalayagnam" of building irrigation projects. It was put up at the People's Plaza on the Necklace Road today to enable people to sign on it to endorse the Government plan.

The Youth Congress and the CIP will collect one crore signatures all over the State by January 26 with their activists touring with the banner to enlighten people about the aim of the Government of completing irrigation projects within a timeframe.

The Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, was the first to sign kicking off the campaign. The holiday crowd thronging the road was apprised of the campaign's purpose and the response was overwhelming. The programme is part of the ongoing campaign by the party to counter the Telugu Desam's criticism on the projects and the controversy surrounding the tender process.

A photo exhibition in the premises of the Assembly is already on to highlight "the neglect" of the irrigation sector by the TDP Government. Posters showing TDP leaders trying to scuttle the Government's attempts to take up irrigation projects have been circulated across the State.

TDP under fire

Mr. Rosaiah called upon workers to "expose" the TDP, which, he alleged, was determined to stall the projects. He likened TD leaders to `demons,' who disrupted `yagnas.' He said during its rule, the TDP Government had obtained loans to the tune of Rs. 56,000 crores but not even a single irrigation project had been completed.