Centre's decision on T awaited: CM

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was very categorical on the Floor of the House on Tuesday that the calls of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was an issue at the discretion of the Central government, which has already received and perused the Report from the Srikrishna Committee.

“The Srikrishna Panel had also sought the individual opinion of the leaders of all political parties on the contentious issue and there was nothing that the state could do in this matter,” Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said, amidst protests from the opposition benches.

Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar asked the Members to be calm to give priority for Chief Minister’s reply.

Stating that the Telangana issue was not new to the state, the Chief Minister pointed out that there was a compulsion on the part of the government to serve the poor as mandated by the electorate. The Opposition must cooperate and ensure that the welfare of the people was taken care of.  Seeking cooperation from the opposition benches for conduct of the regular business, the Chief Minister while replying to a Motion of Thanks to Governor ESL Narasimhan’s speech, emphasized the need to work in unison for the growth of the state and for deliverance of the fruits of democracy to the poor people including the farmers.

Listing out the Racha Banda scores, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy informed that 1.5 crore people attended the programme and out of 66 lakh applications received, 60 lakh were in need of Pavala Vaddi (interest) and 32 lakh for ration cards. As many as 4.63 lakh applicant were provided ration cards, the Chief Minister.

Besides that the prestigious programme which was started by former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy was being continued to extend among others house-sties and Arogyasri for the poor.

The mass response at Racha Banda testified the popularity of the scheme. Finding that the state offered a congenial climate for investments, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy revealed that the Mahindras were planning to start a tractor factory at Zahirabad in Medak district.

The Chief Minister appealed to the opposition not the put spokes in the developmental programmes but cooperate with the administration for effective implementation.

Expressing regrets over the attack on Governor ESL Narasimhan on the opening day of the Session, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy clarified that the Telangana issue was different and it could not be clubbed with that of the Governor’s speech. The attack was shameful particularly when all concerned including the opposition members could not react on the ‘behaviour’ of the five Members, he said.