Press Releases Archive

The Lok Satta Party today demanded that the Government straightway disclose the names of people's representatives, officials and others who have received kickbacks from liquor syndicates.

It may be recalled that the State's Anti Corruption Bureau had raided the offices of liquor syndicates and seized documents testifying to payment of bribes to influential people for conniving at their illegal activities.

Addressing a media conference, Lok Satta Party Acting Working President V. Laxman Balaji and leaders G. Raja Reddy, V. Vijayender Reddy and K. Gita Murthy said that the Government should inquire into the scam without delay and mete out stringent punishment including confiscation of ill-gotten property to the guilty.

The leaders recalled that it is only the Lok Satta Party which had agitated against auction of liquor shops as it anticipated its inexorable consequences. Those who obtained liquor shops at exorbitant rates have been indulging in malpractices like selling liquor at more than maximum retail prices, palming off spurious liquor, encouraging opening of belt shops and running unofficial bars at licensed retail outlets.

Traditional political parties like the Congress and the Telugu Desam, which believe in luring voters with liquor, running liquor shops in benami names and accepting party funds from liquor mafia did not join the Lok Satta in its agitation.

Both the Congress and the TDP had been guilty of turning liquor into a cash cow for the State exchequer and ruining the health and finances of the poor, they charged. The poor are squandering their earnings under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme on consuming liquor as liquor shops have become omnipresent. They demanded that the Government publish a white paper on the funds it spends on the welfare of the poor and the revenue it derives from liquor sales.

The Lok Satta leaders demanded that the Government run liquor shops by doing away with the auction system. It should put an end to belt shops and illicit liquor, and drastically regulate the number of liquor outlets. Village panchayats should have the freedom to decide whether there should be a liquor outlet in the village or not, they added.

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has requested Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy to intervene immediately in what appears to be "an organized racket to defraud the exchequer in the name of Rajiv Yuva Kiranaalu."

The scheme, a brainchild of the Chief Minister, aims at imparting skills and ensuring job placements to the unemployed youth. Going by industry estimates, the Chief Minister hopes to provide job opportunities to 15 lakh youth in the next three years, and at least one lakh by December 2011.

Dr. JP in a letter told the Chief Minister that some companies purported to be involved in training of candidates have been producing false letters of requirement, appointment and confirmation after three months and claiming funds from the Government.

Dr. JP attached evidence related to one such company, M/s Datapro Computers Pvt Ltd. The company is alleged to have produced fake letters of employment from companies which have no idea of their letterheads being forged in this process. The company is allegedly using these fake documents to get full payment for its services from the Government.

State Yuva Satta President P. Sivaji Raju, Vice President P. Rambabu and General Secretary D. Ramu called on the Chief Minister at his Camp Office today and presented him Dr.JP's letter as also evidence collected by them.

Talking to media, the Yuva Satta leaders recalled that the State Government had entrusted the job of training the unemployed youth and showing them placements to 28 companies. M/s Datapro Computers Pvt Ltd., with headquarters in Visakhapatnam, is expected to train 7500 candidates and show them placements. Their field enquiries revealed that the company had claimed large amounts from the Government by producing fake appointment and confirmation letters.

The Government pays the chosen companies the contracted amount in installments—12.5 % after selection of candidates, 12.5% during training, 50% after appointment and the remainder of 25% after the candidates' services are confirmed. The Government's payments to the company range fromRs.6,500 to Rs.12,000 a candidate depending the nature of training it imparts.

Dr.JP as also the Yuva Satta leaders pointed out that they are in favor of Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu since it serves a cause dear to them. The Lok Satta had in fact provided training in skills and provided job opportunities to nearly 3000 unemployed youth in Kukatpalli constituency.