Date:11/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/11/stories/2005021103550500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Unavailability of funds causes ripples at ZP meet

By Our Staff Reporter

NELLORE, FEB. 10. Members in the Zilla Parishad were stunned to hear from the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, P. Lakshmi, on Thursday that her representation to the ZP authorities pleading for sanction of Rs. 3 lakhs towards sinking of borewells in SC/ST-inhabited areas had been on the ground that `no funds were available'. Her revelation caused ripples in the House, which assembled for the general body meeting.

The Minister asked the Chief Executive Officer, S. Viswanatha Reddy, to answer whether no funds were actually sanctioned for other works, after her representation on October 25, 2004. Soon members launched a unilateral attack on the CEO and took him to task for `ill-treating' an MP who was also a Union Minister.

They said the CEO's attitude was an insult to members of weaker sections and demanded an immediate answer. Unable to withstand the atmosphere, Mr. Reddy replied that the ZP owed Rs. 3 crores for sinking of borewells and accordingly the Minister's request could not be entertained.

This gave further ammunition to the members belonging to all political parties who gave a virtual dressing down to the CEO. They contended that Mr. Reddy was insulting downtrodden communities. Added to this was the posture by a co-option member, Basha, that his request for a probe into alleged misuse of Rs. 2.62 crores pertaining to works under Swarna Jayanti Rozgar Yojana, remained unattended. The member wanted to know whether the delay in reply was because he belonged to a minority community. The CEO submitted that he had no such intentions.

Chairman in spot

Even the Chairman, P. Chenchal Babu, had to face hostile atmosphere from his own colleagues, including Anam Vivekananda Reddy, MLA, and others, who reminded that Mr. Babu had become Chairman because of solid support by minorities and weaker sections.