YSRCP faults CAG report on land allotment

                                                                        

“Here the CAG has given a report on land allotments, besides other issues, for the past five years and the timing of its release are raising many questions,” she remarked.

She pointed out that during Chandrababu Naidu's regime, the CAG had passed many adverse and stinging remarks but he made light of them.

She said when the same CAG had passed some remarks on land allotments, which are being disputed in the court and the CBI was inquiring into the issue, Mr. Naidu suddenly realised that CAG was an authentic agency and wanted its report to be followed in the letter and spirit.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Friday took strong objection to the way in which the CAG annual report for the year ending March 31 last year has included the land allotments during 2006-11, ahead of Central Bureau of Investigations filing a charge sheet in the controversial 26 Government Orders case.

At a press conference here, party spokesperson Vasireddy Padma said it was annual ritual for the CAG to submit its report, which is circulated on the last day of the budget session pin pointing lapses the State has committed during the year.

Meanwhile, Minister for School Education S. Sailajanath said if the allottees did not utilise the land allotted to them, the government would examine the issue and resume the same.

Former Minister Gade Venkat Reddy said the CAG had to explain why it had given the five year report on land allotments.

MLC Pulla Padmavati back in Congress

                                                        

Rebel MLC Pulla Padmavati has announced her return to the Congress fold.

Ms. Padmavati, a strong Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy supporter from Warangal district along with her husband Pulla Bhaskar, a Congress leader, said she had decided to come back to the Congress as it alone was concerned about the welfare of the dalits and weaker sections. She said the SC/ST Sub Plan committee announced by the Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy had impressed her.

Grouse

She told reporters that she had joined the YSR Congress Party lamenting the neglect of the schemes launched by late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. But, now the government is showing concern for the weaker sections.

She refused to make any comment on Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

It may be mentioned here that Ms. Padmavati was among the four rebels, who are facing disqualification proceedings.

The couple was keeping a distance from the YSR Congress for the last few months.

Jagan slams Congress, TDP

                                                                      

YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy said that ever since the death of his father Rajasekhara Reddy the common man's life has become miserable in the State. Speaking during ‘Odarpu Yatra' at Ankireddipalem and Venkataramana Colony in the city later, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said that the State was now witnessing politics of deceit, and efforts to malign YSR were on. The departed leader delivered the kind of people-oriented governance which no other Chief Minister in the country could do, he said.

YSRCP is a party committed to the ideals espoused by Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy. It would never indulge in petty politics unlike Congress and TDP, he said.

Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy and M. Sucharita have quit their MLA posts for a cause and they deserved to be re-elected in the ensuing by-elections, he said. The YSRCP would not play tricks to garner votes. It believed in fairness in politics and hopes that people would reward the good work done by Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy, he said. The Congress and TDP were bound to bite the dust, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy asserted.

Land for Hyderabad metro rail project handed over to L&T

                                                                      

Hyderabad, March 31: The acquisition of 104 acres at Miyapur village near the IT hub to facilitate the development of a depot and terminal station for Hyderabad metro rail project has been completed.

After issuing a fresh notification during the second week of January, the land acquisition process initiated by the Ranga Reddy District Collectorate has been completed after tackling several litigations.

As assessed by the Land Acquisition Officer, Rs 193 crore has been paid by the Hyderabad metro rail authorities to the District Collector towards land value and possession taken over. The concessionaire L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd has been handed over the land to start the ground work.

Describing the handing over of Miyapur land to the concessionaire as a major breakthrough, the Managing Director of Hyderabad metro rail, Mr N.V.S. Reddy, said: “With this, 243 acres of land out of the total requirement of 269 acres has so far been handed over to the concessionaire and that the project can now be speeded up.”

Recognising that the delay in acquisition and handing over of Miyapur land due to certain legal disputes to the developer, the State Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, entrusted the task of expeditious completion of this land acquisition to the Chief Secretary, Mr Pankaj Dwivedi.

The Chief Secretary facilitated necessary approvals and arranged the required funds. The State Finance Department released Rs 200 crore for the land acquisition.

Jairam Ramesh asks Akhilesh Akhilesh Yadav to send a strong message with CBI probe

                                                        
Renewing his demand for a CBI probe into implementation of MNREGA in UP, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday asked Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to send a “strong message” that the new government would not tolerate corruption or scams.

I have requested Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to recommend CBI probe into the implementation of MNREGA scheme specially in these three districts (Gonda, Balrampur and Sonbhadra) where largescale misappropriation has come to light," the Union Minister for Rural Development told reporters here after meeting the chief minister.

The CAG audit is on in 12 states which would be completed in seven to eight months' time but it would be better not to wait till then and the chief minister has said that he would look into it soon, Ramesh said.

"Though it is difficult to find out how much of the Rs 6500 to Rs. 7000 crores spent in UP under the scheme has gone with whom, it should be accepted that scams have taken place," the minister said, adding that in a letter written earlier to the state government he had given examples of how funds have been misappropriated in various districts.

Promising full support to the state, he said that he told Yadav that though they are political rivals but on the issue of rural development, they would work together.

He, however, added that no political meaning should be derived from it as "this cooperation" was "just an indication that UPA government does not discriminate with non-Congress ruled states and charges to this effect are unfounded and false".

Though some good work has also been done under the MNREGA, he said, "in UP there is an atmosphere that there are scams all around and it has to be ensured that its funds are not misused by the sarpanchs in buying Boleros."

"A CBI probe will send a strong message that the new UP government would not tolerate corruption or scams," Ramesh said.

CBI files chargesheet against Jagan Reddy in illegal assets case

                                                                
The CBI today filed chargesheet against Kadapa MP and YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and 12 others in an alleged disproportionate assets case.
The Central agency filed its chargesheet against Jaganmohan Reddy, his financial advisor Vijay Sai Reddy and 11 others, including individuals and firms, in the special CBI court here.

The Central agency filed its chargesheet against Jagan Mohan Reddy, his financial advisor Vijay Sai Reddy and 11 others, including individuals and firms, in the special CBI court in Hyderabad.
Jagan Mohan Reddy has been charged with offences under different provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. There is no allegation under IPC sections, defence council Ashok Reddy said.
"CBI has charged him with aiding his father," he claimed. In its 68-page chargesheet, the CBI has cited 263 documents and 66 witnesses.
Jagan Mohan Reddy has been named as the prime accused, followed by Vijay Sai Reddy and suspended IAS officer B P Acharya and Jagati Publications, which runs Sakshi newspaper, as the co-accused.
Vijay Sai Reddy has been charged with offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and under other provisions of IPC.
In August 2011, the CBI, in its FIR against Jagan Mohan Reddy and 73 others including Vijay Sai Reddy, had alleged that various investors, who are beneficiaries of public properties, licenses among others invested in the companies promoted by Jagan at very high premiums as a quid-pro-quo to the favours doled out by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy under his son's influence.
Out of the 13 accused, only Vijay Sai Reddy has been arrested so far and is currently under judicial custody.
The agency had filed a case in 2011 on the directives by the High Court. Jagan's assets last year totalled Rs 365 crores.