Tata Motors’ team meets YSR
Sites offered in Hyderabad, Vizag, Nayaudupeta, Hindupur
No assurance given by the Tata team: sources
HYDERABAD:
A high-level delegation of Tata Motors led by its Managing Director Ravi Kant called on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday, even as the State government went all out to woo the automotive giant to set up the Nano car project in Andhra Pradesh.
During a 45-minute meeting with the Chief Minister and the Major Industries Minister J. Geetha Reddy here, Tata Motors officials were offered several incentives as also suitable land identified by the Government in various places for setting up the plant. The Tata team arrived here from Bangalore after holding discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa.
Mr. Ravi Kant told reporters that he had come to Andhra Pradesh to see what the government was offering for the project. However, the details of the discussion were not divulged and the Tata team left immediately.
Later, Dr. Geetha Reddy told newsmen that the visiting delegation was informed about the latest State Industrial Policy announced only on Friday. The team was also told about the “pro-active stand” taken by the Chief Minister to encourage more industries to come to the State. “We have offered sites in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Nayaudupeta (Nellore) and Hindupur (Anantapur) district,” she said.
Protest by farmers
“As they were running short of time, we could take them to Seetarampuram village in Shahbad mandal in Ranga Reddy district,” the Minister added. But even as the Tata team was visiting the site, farmers staged a ‘rasta roko’ opposing the car project.
Official sources said the Tata Motors’ team did not give any assurance except saying that they were visiting various States to examine the offers made by them.
They said the Ranga Reddy district administration earlier reportedly identified a 1,800-acre site near Alur in Chevella mandal and 1,000 acres in Mucherla on the Srisailam Highway. But they had to drop the idea as the land in Alur belonged to the Wakf while the Mucherla site was falling under reserve forest.
No more drought conditions in Mahabubnagar, says YSR
MAHABUBNAGAR:
The Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said that drought conditions would no longer prevail in Mahabubnagar district once all the ongoing irrigation projects are completed.
He was addressing a series of road-shows in Amarchinta and Gadwal Assembly segments in the district on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister said that the word drought would remain in the annals of Mahabunagar history as Kalwakurthy, Nettampadu, Bheema and Koilsagar lift irrigation projects that area being undertaken in the district would irrigate over 8 lakh acres in addition to the existing ayacut of Jurala and RDS projects.
The cost of these projects is Rs. 6,500 crore
Ongoing projects
He said that it took 26 years to complete Jurala project which will irrigate 1,02,000 acres and the cost escalated from Rs. 76 crore to Rs. 865 crore. But he added his government would complete all the ongoing four irrigation projects in the district within another two years and provide irrigation water to 8 lakh acres. The Chief Minister informed that so far 60 per cent of works were completed.
Tall promises
The Chief Minister asserted that migration of labour would be contained to large extent once the projects are completed.
Criticising Telugu Desam government, he said that it made only tall promises but had done nothing.
The Chief Minister who participated in several development programmes including inauguration of cotton market yard taken up with Rs. 3 crore at Gadwal town.
Shopping complex
He also inaugurated municipal shopping complex laid foundation stone for Rajiv Swagruha benefiting 926 beneficiaries he also unveiled statues of late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
Later he distributed loan cheques to the tune of Rs. 25 crore to members of women self-help groups and also announced an ITI or polytechnic college to Gadwal town and a bridge connecting Gurramgadda, an island to Gadwal town.
YSR to meet JAC leaders on Oct. 8
HYDERABAD:
The government on Saturday extended invitation to the leaders of Joint Action Committee of Employees, Teachers and Workers to yet another round of talks on the level of interim relief to them. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy will directly hold the discussions with JAC leaders in his office at the Secretariat at 3 p.m. on October 8.
Congress plans to counter Chiru’s road show
HYDERABAD:
The Congress party is contemplating a counter meeting in Vizianagaram to coincide with the launch of a road show by Praja Rajyam Party president Chiranjeevi from Arasavilli in Srikakulam district from October 9.
The issue came up for discussion during a meeting between the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president D. Srinivas and Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday at the latter’s Camp office. Rajya Sabha member K. V. P. Ramachandra Rao was also present.
Modalities discussed
Sources said that Housing Minister Botcha Satyanarayana had some days ago proposed a public meeting in Vizianagaram district where in the APCC chief was invited. The two senior leaders reportedly discussed the modalities of holding the meeting in Vizianagaram on October 11 or 12 when the actor will be in the district. The meeting is likely to be attended by Mr. Srinivas.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister postponed his proposed visit to New Delhi on Monday. Instead, he would leave on October 13 to attend the National Development Council meeting.
Dr. Reddy is expected to call on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking waiver of loans to the weavers in the wake of spate of suicides in Sircilla of Karimnagar district.
YSR to tour Kadapa
KADAPA:
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy will pay a four-day visit to Kadapa district from October 9.
Dr. Reddy would reach his estates at Idupulapaya near Vempalle on October 9 morning and would take a two-day rest, District Collector M.T. Krishna Babu said on Sunday. He would launch a pilot project on the HMRI’s 104 services at the TTD kalyana mantapam at Pulivendula on October 11 and address the HMRI staff. He would address a review meeting with officials of irrigation, roads and buildings, public health and other departments at Pulivendula R & B guest house. He would go round a photo exhibition on the progress under various departments, Mr. Krishna Babu said.
He would return to Idupulapaya at 12.30 p.m. on October 11 and would leave for Hyderabad on October 12 mornings.
YSR hints at early elections
Assembly and Parliament Elections Likely To Be Held In February, Says CM
Hyderabad:
General elections to Parliament and state assembly will be held in February after seeking an vote on account. The chief minister, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy told TOI that during his recent visit to New Delhi, he had been told to be ready for going to polls in February. “Elections to Parliament and Assembly will be held simultaneously,” he said.
State party and the administration is being geared up to face the polls as the government fears that the issue of price rise and shortage of fertilizers could cause damage to the party.
Exuding confidence that the welfare would help the government to come back to power but YSR expressed concern over the possible negative impact of price rise and fertilizer shortage in the state.
Realising the gravity of the situation, the government has gone in for a “kneeschemes like Indiramma housing, pension scheme, higher minimum support price for paddy, three percent interest loans for various sections, Rs 2-akg rice scheme, Arogyasri, Jalayagnam and other programmes jerk,” reaction and was taking necessary corrective measures to contain the price rise and ensure that the farmers get enough fertilizers during the rabi. In the meantime, the government had to face another problem of suicides by weavers in Sircilla and it had worked out slew of measures to see that they do not commit suicide.
While writing off the possibility of any threat from TDP as “Chandrababu Naidu has lost credibility and is not worth taking note of,” Reddy said he was unhappy with the the Left parties in the state particularly the CPM state secretary B V Raghavulu who said that his party would put aside the ideology and join hands with anyone to defeat the Congress party.
The CPI is also talking of defeating the Congress and its secretary K Narayana has come up with the idea of power sharing. All such confused moves of the opposition will help the party to score an easy victory, Reddy feels.
According to senior officials, there was no truth in reports that the Parliament and assembly need to be dissolved. A simple resolution by the cabinet was sufficient and the Union government can write a letter to the election commission to hold the polls.
Once a new house was constituted, the old one automatically gets dissolved, they added.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh 