Top priority to curb prices spiral, drought: CM

Hyderabad, Aug  13 :

  Refuting the Opposition charge that the Government was apathetic towards the  drought  situation in the  state, Chief Minister  Dr  Y S Rajasekahara Reddy  said on Thursday  that  the Government is serious in tackling the adverse impact of the prolonged dry spell in the state.

He  said the Government would accord top priority to taking steps to check the rise in prices, and take up rehabilitation programs  to  bail out the  drought-hit   farmers  in the  state.

 The Government  with the  help of the Animal Husbandry Department  would set up camps in the villages to facilitate supply of fodder seeds in the coming months and make provision of health cover, the CM added.

The Government is planning to set up a Price Regulatory Authority in the state and  district levels to put a  check on the rising prices, he indicated.

Referring to the release of prisoners on August 15 , he said  the  issue of remission of prisoners  was put off to August 24 as there was a  case pending in the court. According  to a report,  the Government  had proposed to release about 1,000 prisoners  on the  eve of Independence Day.

Plans afoot to tackle drought

Meanwhile, Legislative Affairs Minister Rosaiah in his reply stated that  the Government was holding consultations with  senior officers and  drawing out plans to  tackle  the drought  situation.

 Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had already made a statement in the House on the drought situation in the state. Even in the last  cabinet meeting,  the CM had set aside all other agenda in view of the drought  situation, which came up for discussion, he averred.

The Government is already seized of the matter to come to the rescue of the farmers by announcing  subsidies and other schemes  to  bail them out of  the crisis, the Legislative Affairs  Minister  explained.