Over 50 per cent beds for Arogyasri at Mahaveer Hospital
HYDERABAD:
Over half of the beds at Mahaveer Hospital, Masab Tank will now be reserved exclusively for the beneficiaries of Arogyasri scheme.
The beds set up in new Arogyasri wards were inaugurated by Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday. The hospital, which has a past record of working closely with health authorities in extending free tuberculosis treatment to scores of patients, will now be using 50 per cent of its capacity for patients covered under the universal health scheme. Lauding its efforts, Dr. Reddy assured Government’s support to the hospital’s future endeavours.
“There are nearly 30,000 beds in private hospitals out of which about 8,000 beds are occupied by beneficiaries of the insurance scheme. That’s a huge figure because till recently affording such a costly medicare was a dream for the poor,” pointed out Dr. Reddy. Arogyasri scheme has become the best example of a successful public-private partnership in the country. “Even at KIMS hospital, which has bed strength of 250, almost 100 beds are now being used by Arogyasri patients,” the Chief Minister said. Highlighting the history of the hospital, which was set up in 1978, Chairman of Bhagwan Mahaveer Memorial Trust Shantilal Daga, which runs the hospital, requested Chief Minister to hasten the process of renewing the lease license of the land on which the hospital is located.
“Given the track record of the hospital, we request authorities either to permanently give the land to the trust or quickly renew the lease license of the land for another 30 years,” Mr. Daga requested.
Later on, Chief Minister assured Government’s support to renew the lease license of the hospital.
YSR holds talks with stars
Congress plans to rope in actors for poll campaign
STAR SUPPORT: Members of the Telugu film industry with APCC president D. Srinivas in Hyderabad on Sunday.
HYDERABAD:
The Congress is chalking out a plan to utilise the services of the stars from the Telugu film industry for its campaign in the next elections.
The idea is to bring all the Congress supporters in the film industry to a common platform and ensure that at least each film star spends at least a day in a week in one particular region for the party work.
Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and APCC president D. Srinivas along with Rajya Sabha member K.V. P. Ramachandra Rao on Sunday held detailed meeting with the film stars and those associated with the Telugu film industry.
Dr. Reddy during his interaction with APCC general secretary G. Adiseshagiri Rao, actors Jayasudha, Rajasekhar, Jeevitha, Giri Babu, Narasimha Raju, Vijayachander and Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam besides T. Atchi Reddy, S. V. Krishna Reddy and Tammareddy Bharadwaj sought more time from them for the campaign.
The film fraternity on their part agreed to coordinate their activity with the party leaders. They said the party supporters would hold discussions and see that they devoted at least three days in a month for the party.
Actors Jeevitha and Rajasekhar said they would first concentrate on touring Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts and then tour the other parts.
Vishnu engaged to Veronica
Actor Mohan Babu’s son engaged to YSR’s niece
Starry affair: Vishnu and Veronica.
HYDERABAD:
Manchu Vishnu Vardhan Babu, son of film actor Mohan Babu, got engaged to Veronica Reddy, niece of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, here on Sunday in presence of a galaxy of film stars and political leaders.
Dr. Reddy and his family members — Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and Y.S. Sudhakar Reddy, father of Veronica, attended the function.
Other leaders at the function included Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi, PCC president D. Srinivas, CPI State secretary K. Narayana, Ministers — K. Jana Reddy, Sabita Indra Reddy, Galla Aruna Kumari — BJP leader M. Vidyasagar Rao, and senior Congress leader M. Satyanarayana Rao.
From the film fraternity, Balakrishna, Krishna, Krishnam Raju, Raghavendra Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Rajasekhar, Jeevitha, Srikanth, Sumalatha, Sneha Ullal, Tamanna and Shivaji graced the occasion.
YSR seeks plan on power supply for rabi
HYDERABAD:
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday asked officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan to ensure that there was no loss of even an acre of crop. He also directed them to clear obstacles in providing seven-hour power supply to farmers. Dr. Reddy issued the directive after reviewing the power demand-supply situation with Energy Minister Mohd. Ali Shabbir and senior officials here.
YSR promises justice to villagers
Hints at lifting ban on construction within 10 km radius of two drinking water lakes
RYTHU BIDDA: Local leaders presenting a plough to Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasehkara Reddy at a public meeting in Shamshabad on Sunday.
HYDERABAD:
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy assured villagers of 87 gram panchayats that his Government would make every effort to ‘solve’ the issue of banning construction activity within 10 km radius of the two drinking water lakes of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.
Giving subtle hints about a re-think on GO 111 through which the ban came into force, he said: “The previous Government was responsible for bringing in the order. There are some court cases and we are trying to overcome them. We will do you justice,” he told a gathering at a public meeting organised in Shamshabad on Sunday.
Hectic schedule
The Chief Minister had a hectic schedule on Sunday as he handed over newly built houses to beneficiaries, subsidised loans to women self groups in Laxmiguda in Rajendranagar mandal.
He also inaugurated a new police station building at Shamshabad, laid foundation stones for improving drinking water supply, Markfed office building, developing 33 radial roads and a plaque to commemorate the second Indiramma festival.
Even while Dr. Reddy was reeling out his Government’s achievements, he noticed a section of crowd shouting slogans and holding placards demanding revision of GO 111. It was then that he calmed them by promising suitable action to benefit people living in the ‘affected’ villages.
‘Restrictive’ order
Earlier, Minister for Mines and Geology Sabitha Indra Reddy appealed to Dr. Reddy about the ‘restrictive’ order as it was spread over 1.50 lakh acres adversely affecting the livelihood of two lakh people.
“It is the single big issue here along with declaring the entire area as a bio-conservation zone which meant 90 per cent of land should be left vacant. These restrictions were brought in by the TDP regime. Only you can change it,” she said.
GO 111, incidentally, came into force following the Supreme Court’s intervention for protecting the two water bodies.
Chiru effect: YSR seeks stars’ support to woo voters
Hyderabad:
Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas on Sunday met some Telugu film personalities to garner the film industry’s support for the party.
Actors Rajasekhar, Jeevita, Jayasudha, Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam, Narasimha Raju, Vijay Chander and Giribabu, directors Tammareddy Bharadwaja, S V Krishna Reddy and producers G Adiseshagiri Rao, K Atchi Reddy were among those who attended the meeting at the CM’s camp office here on Sunday evening.
Commercial taxes minister Konathala Ramakrishna and Rajya Sabha member K V P Ramachandra Rao were also present.
Jayasudha had joined Congress on Wednesday last while others are with the party for sometime now.
With the advent of Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi into politics and many other film industry bigwigs already supporting the Telugu Desam Party, Congress too is trying desperately to add glamour quotient to its account.
Apart from Rajasekhar and others, Telugu superstar of yesteryears Krishna has also pledged his support to the Congress and roped in his fan clubs to work for the party in the next elections.
During his meeting with the film personalities, Reddy urged them to effectively publicise the state government’s development and welfare programmes across the state.
“Devote as much time as you can to propagate the government’s programmes and the Congress ideology positively to the people. The party will coordinate with you and render all assistance for your tour programmes. You can come up with suggestions to make the campaign more effective,’’ he said.
Noting that film personalities bear a lot of influence on the people, the chief minister cited the example of TDP founderpresident N T Rama Rao and Prajarajyam party chief Chiranjeevi. “You people can create a positive impact,’’ he added.
Actors Rajasekhar and Jeevita said they would first tour Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts and later concentrate on other parts of the state. Director Krishna Reddy informed the chief minister that he was making a short film on the benefits of Rajiv Arogyasri the health insurance scheme being implemented by the state government.
Catchment areas face threat as govt may ease GO 111
GREEN DISASTER IN THE OFFING
Realty Threat Likely To Osmansagar and Himayatsagar
Hyderabad:
Demanding that the state government withdraw the GO 111, the villagers of Chevella staged a noisy protest at a public function at Shamshabad attended by the chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday.
As they did not relent and persisted with their sloganshouting, the chief minister was forced to stop his speech midway and take note of their protest.
The function was organised as part of Indiramma Sambaralu. Over 100 villagers raised slogans and displayed placards with messages like ‘Withdraw GO 111’ as the chief minister was delivering his speech at the public function.
The GO 111 restricts industries, hotels, residential colonies and other establishments that generate pollution in the catchment areas of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar, the two main water sources which quench the thirst of the twin cities.
As the villagers angrily protested, the chief minister enquired with local leaders including mines and geology minister P Sabita Indra Reddy about the reason for their protest.
Later, he assured the protesters that he would do everything to help them overcome the legal hurdles.
“The entire Ranga Reddy district, except the catchment areas, is enjoying the fruits of development activity. Except farming, there is neither real estate nor business activity,” K Srinivasulu, a farmer, rued.
Earlier, Sabita Indra Reddy requested the chief minister to make the Pranahita and Chevella irrigation project a reality along with relaxation of the GO 111. “Nearly two lakh people belonging to Chevella mandal have been affected because of GO 111. This is standing as an obstacle for the development of the region,” the minister said.
Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated an exclusive police station for the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. This will be in addition to the existing Shamshabad police station.
Cyberabad police commissioner S Prabhakar Reddy said the police station was constructed by the GMR Group at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. An assistant commissioner of police (ACP) assisted by 50 police personnel would be stationed at the new police station. The new station houses both the law and order as well as traffic police. Nearly 10 villages of the Shamshabad mandal would be under its jurisdiction, and it will be notified shortly. The chief minister also laid a foundation stone for the five radial roads of the total 33, connecting the inner ring road with the outer ring road. As part of the first phase, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) would develop the Rethibowli junction-Tippukhan bridge, Tippukhan bridge-APPA, Tippukhan bridge-Narsingi, Biramalguda-Bongluru and Pahadisharif-Tukkuguda radial roads. The Rs 300.23 crore project would be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The villagers of Chevella staged angry protests at a public function attended by CM Rajasekhara Reddy. They rued that they could not partake of the benefits of tremendous real estate development that spawned the entire Ranga Reddy district because of the GO 111. The GO restricts industries, hotels, residential colonies and other establishments that generate pollution in the catchment areas of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar. Finally, the CM was forced to conceded their demands and look at ways to facilitate relaxation of the GO.
CM sees no point in babus’ PowerPoints
Hyderabad:
What N Chandrababu Naidu had taken delight in doing to the utter chagrin of the babus during his tenure as the chief minister; the babus are taking delight in doing the same now to the present chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
The PowerPoint presentations, used as an effective tool of governance by Naidu, have now become a tool for babus to pull wool over the eyes of the chief minister during the monthly review meetings. The mantra seems to be: If you are not armed with necessary facts and figures to present the progress made in the various developmental programs taken up by your department, the best way to impress the boss is to give a PowerPoint presentation. The idea seems to be that it would not only take a chunk off the one-hour time allocated to the meeting, but also helps to present a ‘colourful’ picture.
With the CM known to review at least three departments each day despite his busy schedule, which makes it at least 15 such meetings in a week and 60 in a month, it seems to have taken the CM very little time to realise what the babus are up to. For instance, these days what is heard in CM’s chambers would make one wonder if Reddy is watching Jane Fonda’s fitness video. For, “skip…skip…skip and move on” are uttered by none other than the chief minister to hasten the officials to run through the PPPs. A close aid of the chief minister confirmed that his boss is aware that babus use these tactics whenever they want to skirt an important issue or do not have necessary inputs to convince him.
“You should see the smirk on CM’s face the moment a colourful presentation begins. It indicates that he knows the babu concerned is not fully prepared. In fact, the CM often comments openly that these PPPs take the fizz out of the review meetings and render them boring,” he said.
Confirming this, officials in the CMO say the chief minister’s reaction after every PPP-backed review meeting reflects his aversion to the most used (in fact abused) communication tool by the babus. “But for his grit, he would have long ended up taking a course in Art of Living or visited the Brahmakumaris,” said one official. Indications are that the CM would live with the PPPs for the present, because he is not keen to antagonise the babus, especially with the elections round the corner.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh 