Minister sits on floor in protest to hold official meet

In a novel protest against non-supply of furniture for his official chamber, Handlooms and Textiles Minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Friday held a review meeting with the officials by sitting on the floor.

The Minister reviewed the performance of loss making Public Sector Units under his ministry at his chambers at H-Block on Friday afternoon. Talking to reporters, Dr Shankar Rao said that although he has informed the officials concerned about the meeting a month earlier, they failed to provide basic furniture for his office.

Dr Shankar Rao said that he has sent a letter to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Chief Secretary Pankaj Dwivedi and other senior officials stating that his office do not basic furniture. However, his request was totally ignored. He refused to comment when asked whether he was considering resignation from the cabinet.

The Minister later reviewed the performance of AP State Housing Corporation, LIDCAP, APSID, APSRTC, AP Road Development Corporation, AP State Agro Industrial Development Corporation, AP Tribal Mining Company and AP Housing Board which have been classified as the loss making units out of the 44 PSUs in the State. During the meeting, the reasons for losses, measures for revival and comparison of activities and performance with similar enterprises in other States like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat and status of Audit of accounts was discussed.

Four PSUs - NEDCAP, APHMHDC, AP Police Housing Corporation and Vizag Apparel Park have been listed a No Profit - No Loss PSUs.