Press Releases Archive

Safety brooks no delay: Dr. JP

Expressing his great shock over the death of innocent school children in a ghastly accident at an unmanned level crossing in Medak district today, Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said such tragedies should be averted at any cost. 

In a media statement, Dr. JP said that “in this day and age we must not spare any expenditure to ensure safety. Every intersection should be covered by an overbridge or an underpass and all unmanned level crossings eliminated.”

According to the Railway Budget presented earlier this month, as many11,563 of the 30,348 level crossings in Indian Railways are unmanned. The Railway Minister said that “each unmanned level crossing is being examined in detail and depending on the site condition action will be taken to eliminate it by suitable modality.” Making an allocation of Rs 1,785 crore for road-under-bridges and road-over-bridges, the Railway Minister asked State Governments concerned to speed up their proposals and pass on their share of the cost to the Centre.

Dr. JP said that the Medak level crossing accident should serve as a wakeup call and prod the Union and State Governments to eliminate all unmanned level crossings as early as possible. 

The tragedy also highlights the appalling educational infrastructure in the country, said Dr. JP. That poor and middle class families are compelled to send their children to private schools located up to 15 km away from their homes at considerable expense is a sad commentary on the prevailing system. Can’t the Government liberate our kids from risky and long commutes in their quest for the basic right to education, asked Dr. JP. 

Dr. JP conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of all the accident victims. 
Telangana State Loksatta Party President Bandaru Rammohan Rao, who visited the accident site said that about 6,000 students from neighboring villages attend private schools in Toopran daily. 

Thursday, July 24, 2014 - 18:15

Loksatta seeks Rs.1000 per capita Grant to Local Governments

While welcoming Panchayat Raj Minister K. T. Rama Rao’s decision to strengthen local governments, Telangana Loksatta Party President Bandaru Ramamohan Rao said that it is possible only when they are conferred powers, resources and personnel in adequate measure.

In a media statement, Bandaru pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of gram swaraj has remained unfulfilled more than six decades after Independence because of the reluctance of State Governments to empower local self-governments. Even the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution have remained largely on paper. As a result, people at the grass root level are forced to approach MLAs and MPs and even Ministers and the Chief Minister to get even minor grievances redressed.

Bandaru wanted the State Government to give a per capita annual grant of Rs.1000 to every panchayat and every ward/division in municipal bodies so that locally elected representatives can attend to immediate needs like maintenance of internal roads, street lighting and sanitation and drinking water supply. Since all such works are carried out in full public view, the scope for corruption gets minimized. As of now, there are huge leakages by the time the funds are allocated through different channels and spent by multiple agencies. 

In fact, the Loksatta Party is trying to impress upon the 14th Finance Commission the importance of devolving a certain portion of funds meant for States directly on districts.

Bandaru said that panchayats can also be entrusted with the responsibility of controlling illicit liquor flow and unauthorized sale of liquor.

The Government can always wield the stick in case there are instances of abuse of authority or misuse of funds, Bandaru added.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014 - 18:15

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