Press Releases Archive

Ward committees will be toothless, Charges Lok Satta

The Andhra Pradesh Government Order No. 57 providing for constitution of ward committees and area sabhas contravenes both the letter and spirit of JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) guidelines, the Lok Satta charged today.

The JNNURM had stipulated formation of ward committees and area sabhas with requisite resources and responsibilities as a condition for release of funds to States.

Talking to the media, party leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao and Karthik Chandra said the Government had issued GO No. 57 more to fulfill a formality than to empower people.

While the JNNURM envisaged elected ward committees, the Andhra Pradesh Government planned nominated committees. Formation of area sabhas at the rate of one for every 5000 people without reference to geographical boundaries defies any understanding. The proposal to allocate 20 percent of the corporation budget for maintenance works of urban services is too meager.

The Lok Satta leaders recalled their party had fought the GHMC elections proposing formation of ward committees as virtual ward governments. The party promised a per capita grant of Rs.1000 to every ward so that the local ward committee could address local people’s problems with the funds at its disposal.

In contrast, the corporation nominated ward committees would be confined advisory role.

The Lok Satta demanded that the ward committees be elected, and an area sabaha constituted for each polling booth and a per capita grant of Rs.1000 be made to each ward.

The Lok Satta would resort to direct action if the Government did not make amends, said the party leaders.

Sunday, February 14, 2010 - 14:52

Political Parties have to help Resolve the problem - Lok Satta on SriKrishna Committee terms

The terms of reference of the Srikrishna Committee on the political situation in Andhra Pradesh are on expected lines, commented the Lok Satta Party here today.

Political parties, civil society organizations, students and all other sections on either side of the great divide in Andhra Pradesh should create a conducive and harmonious atmosphere and help the committee study the problems and bridge the divide, the party said.

The committee based on its expertise will study and determine the facts in respect of development in all the regions of the State, ascertain the views of all sections of people and make its recommendations on resolving the conflicting demands for the formation of a separate Telangana State and preserving Andhra Pradesh as intact and united.

Talking to the media, party spokespersons Mr.Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mr. V.Laxman Balaji, Mr. V.Vijayender Reddy underlined that the committee is not a constitutional body or the creature of any law passed by Parliament. It can only make recommendations. The power to take any decision, however, vests with the Union and State Governments and Parliament and the State Legislature.

The spokespersons recalled that the Lok Satta Party has all along maintained that there is no alternative to a dignified dialogue for arriving at a permanent and just settlement to the problem, since the Government of India cannot concede the two demands simultaneously.

Friday, February 12, 2010 - 16:54

Lok Satta demands amendment of Anti-corruption laws

Against the backdrop of the Congress and the Telugu Desam parties hurling corruption charges against each other once again, the Lok Satta Party today demanded that the Government introduce a Bill in the budget session of the Assembly to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act to bring the guilty to book.

Talking to the media, party spokespersons Mr.Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mr. V.Laxman Balaji accused the mainstream political parties of indulging in hypocrisy in that they revel in exchanging charges of massive corruption against each other but collude with each other in preventing the creation of an effective mechanism to tackle the menace.

They recalled that the Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan had circulated a Bill to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act in June 2009 with stringent provisions but both the mainstream parties cold-shouldered it for obvious reasons.

Dr. JP’s Bill proposes that all members of Parliament and the State Legislature, and elected members of panchayats, municipalities, and municipal corporations be deemed as public servants and brought under the ambit of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The need to amend the Act has become more imperative now with the TDP and the Congress leveling charges against each other once again, sections of the media reporting that the Anti Corruption Bureau has been hamstrung in raiding some highly corrupt top officials, that politicians have grabbed vast tracts of Wakf land, and that a large number of top officials are guilty of irregularities in irrigation projects’ construction.

The Lok Satta leaders wanted the anti corruption laws to provide for:

  • Seizure and forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants
  • Establishment of special anti-corruption courts in each district
  • Appointment of independent prosecutors drawn from judiciary
  • Constitution of an independent anti-corruption agency functioning under the overall supervision of the Lok Ayukta and
  • Integration of the working of the myriad agencies and mechanisms like departmental enquiry, Tribunal for Disciplinary Proceedings, Public Servants’ Inquiry Act, Commissionerate of Enquiries, Vigilance Commission and Lok Ayukta.
Thursday, February 11, 2010 - 17:09

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