Govt committed to 14 F deletion: Botsa

Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Tuesday stated that the state government is committed to deletion of Clause 14 F from the Presidential Orders of 1975.

Talking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan, Mr Satyanarayana stated that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has already informed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the need of deleting the controversial Clause from the Presidential Orders.

The PCC chief also reminded that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has already sent the related file to Prime Minister’s Office and Dr Manmohan Singh would take a final decision on the issue in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, scheduled to be held on Tuesday evening.

Mr Satyanarayana expressed confidence that the President Pratibha Patil would give her assent to the deletion of the controversial clause soon after the file is placed before her after getting clearance from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Responding to questions on the farmers from Godavari district declaring `crop holiday’ in protest against the state government’s alleged failure to provide remunerative price for their farm produce, the PCC chief said that the government would organise a workshop with experts from agriculture field, scientists and officials concerned and take steps for their welfare.

He said that the party would conduct a membership drive across the state and invite youth, particularly in the age group of 25-30, to strengthen the party at grassroots level.