Press Releases Archive

State should grant bonus to Paddy growers: Lok Satta

Union Agriculture Minister’s assertion that it is not possible to ensure a minimum support price which is 50 percent above the cost of production as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission is atrocious, charged Lok Satta Party Working President D. V. V. S. Varma today.

In a media statement, Mr. Varma accused the Union and State Governments of ruining farmers and tenants by not ensuring a remunerative price for agricultural produce on the one hand and not permitting them to export on the other.

The Mohan Kanda Committee appointed by the State Government to go into the conditions leading to crop holiday declaration by paddy growers in certain parts of the State did not bother to recommend measures for ensuring a fair and remunerative price. Even the Chief Minister threw the ball into the Center’s court.

Mr. Varma demanded that the State Government persuade the Center to announce a remunerative price for paddy. If it cannot, it should offer a bonus to farmers as it realizes Rs.1500 crore by way of VAT on levy rice.

Mr. Varma wanted the State Government to ensure procurement by State undertakings as in Chattisgarh. It should try to extend the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to agriculture. The Union Government should enable farmers to export their produce to foreign countries, after taking care of the country’s food security.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 - 17:32

Lok Satta faults lathi charge

The Lok Satta Party today took exception to indiscriminate lathi charge on students of Osmania University and Nizam College on Monday.

Lok Satta Party leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao and P. Bhaskara Rao said that arrests and repression of people taking part in the general shutdown on the Telangana issue would merely aggravate the crisis.

They demanded that the Union Government instead of playing with the lives of people should announce its decision immediately on the burning issue. The decision should be rational and safeguard the interests of people of all the regions.

They appealed to all political parties and civic organizations not to rouse regional passions and ensure that students do not lose an academic year.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 - 17:31

Lokpal shall not be overburdened, Say Aruna Roy and Dr. JP

Both Mrs. Aruna Roy of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information and Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, President of the Lok Satta Party, stressed today that no single institution should be made responsible for making public servants accountable.

Taking part in a conference organized by the CPI-affiliated Progressive Forum on the impact of corruption on development, Mrs. Aruna Roy and Dr. JP said that vesting all encompassing power and responsibility in one institution like the Lokpal would overload it and make it to difficult to carry out any of its tasks.

Mrs. Aruna Roy said that the Lokpal should tackle corruption of all elected representatives including the Prime Minister with some safeguards, Ministers, Members of Parliament and senior bureauacrats and all other co-accused including those in the private and the social sector. She suggested amendment of the Central Vigilace Commission to make the CVC independent and further empower it to investigate corruption and take action against mid-level bureaucracy. She suggested creation of Lokayuktas at the State level, an effective time-bound decentralized system for grievance redress and protection of whistleblowers. She wanted Lokayuktas to be created in States to deal with the Chief Minister, Ministers, legislators and officials of the State.

Dr. JP said that the Lokpal Bill should provide for constitution of Lokayuktas in States and that the Central Vigilance Commissionbe made an integral part of the Lokpal institution. Measures should be initiated to ensure the independence and accountability of the CBI and ACBs.

Dr. JP said that the findings of the Lokpal in regard to acts of omission and commission in corruption cases should be final. Provision should be made for confiscation of the entire property of those found guilty of corruption.

Dr. JP said that while Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill is welcome it is not sufficient. The Lokpal should not be entrusted with the task of enforcing accountability of the judiciary, which constitutes another important pillar of the Constitution. A National Judicial Commission should be constituted tasked with the responsibility of appointment and removal of judges.

Mr. Aziz Pasha, MP, Mrs. Chandravathi, MLA were among those who took part in the seminar.

Monday, September 19, 2011 - 20:52

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