Bettered YSR in loans: Kiran

                                           

The Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, said that while loans were given at low interest during the rule of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, they were now providing interest-free loans. He said that the Congress government was committed to provide better governance to people. Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy addressed Praja-patham meetings at Railway Kodur and Rajampet in Kadapa district on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that they were not against implementation of schemes introduced by YSR and added that they were correcting lapses in them. He said that while 25 paise interest loans and low interest farm loans were given during YSR rule, they were giving interest-free loans.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said that Rs.11,500 crore would be given as interest-free loans to women this year. Farmers would also be given Rs.31,000 crore interest-free loans, he added.
The Chief Minister said that the government had paid Rs.8,000 crore pending dues relating to students of YSR rule. He said that help is being provided to 27 lakh students for study.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said that during his two-year rule Rs.590 crore loans were given to farmers, compared Rs.800 crore loans during the six-year YSR rule. While YSR had introduced Rs.2-a-kg rice scheme, he had introduced Rs.1-kg rice scheme, the Chief Minister said. He said that the rice scheme is being implemented for 7.5 crore people.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said that employment was provided to 5 lakh youth under Rajiv Yuvakiranalu scheme. He said that 7,000 persons were appointed as village revenue officers and assistants.
The Chief Minister said that the government was spending Rs.5,500 crore for purchasing power at Rs.9 to Rs.10 per unit and supplying it at lower rates to farmers, people and industries. He said that power tariff was hiked due to unavoidable circumstances and added that no burden was imposed on those consuming up to 100 units.
He alleged that Opposition parties were creating ruckus on the issue. He said that steps were being taken to help women in all sectors and Mee Seva centres were started to issue certificates to people.
Rajampet MP A. Sai Pratap, district in-charge minister Kanna Lakshmi-narayana, state ministers C. Ramachandraiah, Md. Ahmedullah and others were present.
from DC

 

AICC takes charge of party affairs in AP

                                                                            

Annoyed by the persistent differences among senior Congress leaders in Andhra Pradesh, the AICC has decided to take charge of the by-election campaign and directed its emissary Vayalar Ravi to continue his task of planning, coordinating and monitoring till conclusion of the polls.

Interactions

After spending five days in the State where he held extensive interactions with party leaders and visited the Godavari districts, Mr. Ravi will return next week to discharge his mandate.

On his return to Delhi, Mr. Ravi will submit a detailed report on the infighting between Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana and other key leaders besides explaining the party's preparedness or the lack of it for facing the by-election.

TSR for Nellore LS seat

An indication that the high command had taken complete charge was the formal announcement of T. Subbarami Reddy being named the Congress candidate for the Nellore Lok Sabha seat. AICC president Sonia Gandhi, who gave the nod, asked Mr. Reddy to plunge into the by-election campaign.

After his return, Mr. Ravi is expected to tour 16 Assembly constituencies and directly meet the party cadre.

Congress leaders who met him got a clear impression that the high command was disappointed with the state of affairs here.

A leader close to him said Ms. Gandhi deputed Mr. Ravi to submit an independent report as she was perturbed by the developments in Andhra Pradesh.

Serious note

Leaders noted that Mr. Ravi had taken a serious note of the spate of complaints against Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Mr. Satyanarayana, lack of coordination among top leaders, reluctance to attack Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy and fear of faring badly in the by-election.

The report to be submitted by Mr. Ravi, it is believed, may form the basis for a mid-course correction including change of leadership.

Whether this will happen before the elections or later depends on the contents of the report.

The growing anger at the delay in deciding the fate of Telangana was another issue that the AICC leader had noted with concern.

They said Mr. Ravi was eager to know how many seats the Congress would win in the 2014 elections, if the demand for Telangana was conceded.

Leaders from all regions were unanimous that the high command had put the State Congress leaders on notice. “They will not brook any more infighting and will not hesitate to initiate stern action, if the party fares badly in the by-poll,” a PCC functionary said. 

from hindu

Bhanu surfaces at last

                                                                           
HYDERABAD: More than 15 months after he vanished after the sensational murder of Anantapur faction leader Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) produced key suspect Malishetty Bhanu Kiran alias Bhanu in public, claiming to have arrested him on Saturday.

They said the fugitive travelled across six states in the country to evade arrest. A .32 revolver and six rounds of bullets were seized from him.

Presenting a smiling Bhanu before the media, SV Ramana Murthy, additional director-general of police in the CID, said they laid a trap for Bhanu upon coming to know that he was coming to Andhra Pradesh from Pondicherry to pick up money from someone. However, sources said Bhanu gave himself up.

According to Ramana Murthy, as many as six teams of the CID were positioned in and around Zaheerabad in Medak district to spring the trap on Bhanu. As the fugitive reached a dhaba near Zaheerabad at about 10 a.m. on Saturday, CID sleuths pounced on him. “We learnt that Bhanu was coming from Pondicherry to collect some money from someone. After killing Suri and fleeing, this was the first time he had returned to these parts,” he added.

CID officials produced Bhanu Kiran before the Magistrate at West Maredpally. He was remanded to judicial custody till May 4 and he was� then shifted to prison.

Bhanu is said to be involved as many as 15 cases, including Suri’s murder and several cases of extortion and land settlement. Of these 15, the CID is investigating nine including Suri’s murder. One case was booked in Vijayawada and five within Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissionerate limits.

Bhanu is accused of shooting Suri dead with a .32 revolver in a Skoda Fabia at Navodaya Colony near Yousufguda in Hyderabad on Jan. 3, 2011. After the murder, he fled with the aid of his associates Manmohan Singh, Sulam Subbaiah, Venkata Hari Babu and Boya Venkata Ramana and others. The other suspects were arrested by the Central Crime Station. The case was transferred to the CID while Bhanu remained at large.

“Bhanu killed Suri with a .32 revolver that belonged to Manmohan Singh. He carried the same weapon with him and his gun licence, obtained from Khammam district, had been transferred to Odisha,’’ Ramana Murthy said. He said the help of the Vijaywada police would be sought for further investigation in the cases against Bhanu.

The CID clarified that they did not come across any link between Bhanu and home minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy’s son Karthik Reddy. The home minister ridiculed the TDP, saying that if they have any evidence against her son, she was willing to have the matter probed.

 from ibn live