Date:27/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/27/stories/2008012753710600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

N.D.Tiwari calls for concerted effort to curb extremism

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Governor N. D. Tiwari called for concerted efforts by all to put an end to left wing extremism as it would hamper development, if unchecked.

Already, the A. P. Government had become a trend-setter for other States by handling extremism both as a socio-economic and as a law & order problem. Asserting that violence had no place in democracy, he pointed out that development could be achieved and sustained in West Bengal only after the hurdle of naxalism was removed.

Speaking at the 59th Republic Day celebrations after reviewing an impressive march past here on Saturday, Mr. Tiwari lauded the Rajasekhara Reddy Government for making Andhra Pradesh “a cynosure of all eyes in the country and elsewhere”. The Governor said the Government had implemented “several landmark policies” that led to a cumulative result of accelerated agricultural production, housing, women empowerment and employment generation. Mr. Tiwari enthused the large gathering by extending greetings to them in chaste Telugu, and interspersing his 30-minute English speech with Hindi. Recalling his association with Mahatma Gandhi, he sang a song “Bharat mein swatantra halchal…” The Governor spoke of the distribution of 6 lakh acres of land so far to the landless poor, completion of 8 out of the 66 irrigation projects taken up under Jalayagnam, providing irrigation to an additional ayacut of 12 lakh acres, execution of Indiramma with Rs. 7,725 crore to saturate housing needs and rural public schools being set up to offer quality education to the children of the poor.

Going by the pro-active nature of the Government and the development ambience present in the State, big names in the information technology began to migrate to Andhra Pradesh.

The State was poised to take a big leap in IT sector, now that a big manpower pool was being created under Rajiv Udyogasri, a scheme to train youths in soft and other skills and generate one million jobs.

The IT exports for this fiscal were expected to cross Rs. 26,000-crore mark.