The Lok Satta Party today drew Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy's attention to the plight of jute seed growers in Prakasam and Guntur districts and requested him to go to their rescue through market intervention.
In a representation to the Chief Minister, State Lok Satta Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao pointed out that the market rate for jute seeds has plunged to Rs.1400 a quintal as against Rs. 15000 in West Bengal. Even according to the State Agriculture Department, the cost of production works out to Rs.9000 a quintal.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that jute seed producers in Prakasam and Guntur district are saddled with stocks of nearly 5000 quintals.
The Lok Satta Party President wanted the Chief Minister to direct market committees, which have collected crores of rupees as market cess, to buy the produce from farmers at a fair price. The market committees in turn can sell the produce in West Bengal or to the Jute Corporation of India and make profits.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao informed the Chief Minister that Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has already drawn the attention of the Cooperation and Agriculture Departments to the crisis jute seed producers are facing.
The Chief Minister promised to talk to Markfed on the problem, according to Mr. Srinivasa Rao.
Mr. P. Bhaskara Rao of the farmers' wing of the Lok Satta Party and Mr. Edara Ratna Rao of the Federation of Independent Farmers' Associations, accompanied Mr. Srinivasa Rao.
The following is the text of the representation submitted to the Cheif Minister of Andhra Pradesh Mr. N. Kiran Kumar Reddy by Lok Satta Party leaders on "the security threat to Hyderabad", at the Secretariat today (May 29, 2013).
Sri N. Kiran Kumar Reddy
Hon'ble Chief Minister
Govt. of Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad
Dear Sir:
Let us on behalf of the Lok Satta Party bring to your attention that neither the Hyderabad police nor the National Investigative Agency has made any breakthrough in identifying the perpetrators of the bomb blasts at Dilsukhnagar in Hyderabad even nearly 100 days after the suspected terrorist attack.
One of the reasons for the failure of our investigative agencies is the absence of a wide and effective CCTV network in a growing metropolis like Hyderabad.
Our inquiries through the Right to Information reveal that there are just 370 CCTV cameras in areas under the jurisdiction of the Hyderabad Police Commissioner and 51 in areas under the jurisdiction of the Cyberabad Police Commissioner. Of them, 34 cameras in Hyderabad and all the 51 in Cyberabad are dysfunctional. Not a single camera was installed in the years 2011, 2012 and so far during 2013.
According to press reports, the Government of Andhra Pradesh had estimated that Hyderabad would require 3000 CCTV cameras. In fact during the Biodiversity Conference in 2012, the Hyderabad police had sought Rs.300 crore for installation of 3000 cameras.
The Andhra Pradesh Government requested the Prime Minister, who visited Hyderabad in the wake of the Dilsukhnagar blasts, to sanction Rs.450 crore for installation of 3500 CCTV cameras.
We are sorry that there has been no progress in installation of cameras anywhere in Hyderabad since the Dilsukhnagar blasts.
In stark contrast, the Maharahstra Government is going ahead with installation of a large CCTV network at a cost of Rs.864 crore in the wake of the serial blasts that rocked Mumbai.
We need not overemphasize the importance of a CCTV network in all public places in deterring crime and identifying culprits. Within 48 hours of a bomb blast in Boston, the US authorities could nail down the culprits based on CCTV surveillance. And in the latest instance, CCTV surveillance has brought to light the betting going on in IPL cricket in India.
We request you to expedite installation of a CCTV network without further delay considering that Hyderabad has become a destination of choice for terrorists. The State Government with an annual budget of nearly Rs.1.5 lakh crore can afford to spend funds from its own budget for the network and seek reimbursement from the Center subsequently.
Sincerely yours,
Katari Srinivasa Rao,
State President,
Lok Satta Party
D.Lakshmi,
Vice President,
Lok Satta Party
N.Ravinder
Secretary,
Lok Satta Party
G. Venugopal
Secretary,
Lok Satta Party, GHMC
The Lok Satta Party has constituted an Election Committee to conduct supplementary elections to fill vacancies in the party at the constituency level on June 6 and 7 and at the district level on June 9.
Giving this information in a media statement here today, State Lok Satta Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao said that the election committee comprises Mr. P.V Gopalakrishna (Convener) and Mr. M. Diwakar and Mr. N. Janardhan (members).
Mr. Gopalakrishna, convener of the Election Committee, had worked with the Independent Election Authority (IEA) in conducting the organizational elections in March – April, 2013.
Elections at the constituency level will take place in Narasannapeta, Palakonda, Rajam, Palakollu, Rayachoti and Bhupalapalli and at district level in West Godavari and NRI districts.
The following is the election schedule:
Nominations for all posts: June 1 & 2
Scrutiny: After 5 pm on June 2
Withdrawals: June 3
Elections in constituencies: June 6 and 7
Elections in districts: June 9