Date:27/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/27/stories/2008062753520400.htm

New Delhi

YSR meets Prime Minister

Special Correspondent

Takes up issue of Scheduled Castes’ sub-categorisation with Manmohan Singh

Seeks introduction of Constitutional amendment in Parliament
Makes out a case for extension of SC status to Dalit Christians

NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to introduce a Constitutional Amendment for sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the forthcoming session of Parliament to ensure reservation for those who have failed to secure the benefit of reservations till date.

Briefing mediapersons here about his meeting with the Prime Minister, Dr. Reddy also made out a case for extension of SC status to Dalit Christians. Other requests made to the Prime Minister include announcement of Minimum Support Price for paddy and other crops for kharif 2008 at the earliest, restoration of the State’s allocation of 3,18,287 metric tonnes of rice per month, grant of classical language status for Telugu and establishment of an Aviation University at Begumpet Airport.

Further, according to Dr. Reddy, the Prime Minister has accepted his invitation to address a farmers rally in Kadapa.

Similarly, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has agreed to inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology in Kadapa district.

The Chief Minister also met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil during the course of the day. During this meeting, he sought Central approval for a State government proposal to organise a single local cadre vis-À-vis the newly created cadre of teachers in government, zilla parishad and mandal parishad schools under the Presidential Order, 1975.

Kerosene allocation

Meanwhile, Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora has expressed inability to meet the State government’s request for increasing the State’s allocation of kerosene to be distributed through the public distribution system.

As for the State government’s request for release of 15 lakh gas connections to Below Poverty Line women under Deepam scheme, Mr. Deora assured Dr. Reddy that the Ministry would give more than last year’s 6.5 lakh new connections this fiscal.

About Oil and Natural Gas Commission pulling out of the Kakinada refinery project, Dr. Reddy said:

“From the beginning ONGC has been buying time. Even after clear directions from the Prime Minister to decide by September 2007 whether it is interested or not, ONGC could not decide. Probably they are over-burdened with other projects. So, GMR has come forward and bought ONGC’s stake in the refinery.”