Date:01/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/01/stories/2005040107890400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

YSR sets agenda for civic polls, Cabinet expansion

By W. Chandrakanth

HYDERABAD, MARCH 31: The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has set a new time-table for two major events -- Municipal elections and the Cabinet expansion.

Linking these two, he now says that the elections will be held in August and "the Cabinet expansion will follow." The first week of May will witness an administrative shake-up to post "the right men at the right place," Dr. Reddy said and added that the emphasis would be on efficiency and performance.

Dr. Reddy told The Hindu on Thursday that there was no move to impose a ban on naxal organisations. The recent meeting of the Inter-State Council in New Delhi did not moot any such proposal. He, however, said "The doors for talks are wide open."

On his pet-theme of people-friendly governance he said: "There are certain grey areas in administration. Some of the officials are yet to understand the thrust areas. Our motto is to give voice to the voiceless."

`Praja Patham'

He says he is a little excited about the "Praja Patham" being launched as a Government-party programme. The two-month programme is aimed at moving men and administrative apparatus to the doorsteps of people and address their grievances.

"We shall use this opportunity to move closer to the people. Vested interests are carrying out a negative campaign against us at the behest of our main political opponent. We will explain to the people the good work done by us and seek their suggestions to fill the gaps in our `promise-performance sheet,' " he said.

He said that it was just by coincidence that the "Praja Patham" was scheduled to be launched during April-May like his earlier "Pada Yatra and Jaitra Yatra". "People's problems peak during summers. What would be a better time to go to them than this period?" He said he is not afraid to face the people and seek their opinion on his Government's performance. "They are the ultimate judges."

Good monsoon ahead?

Expressing happiness over the Meteorology Department's reports about the likelihood of a good monsoon this year, he said the Government would launch a massive cloud-seeding operation at a cost of Rs.20 crores. The results of the last year's experiment were quite encouraging, he said.