Press Releases Archive

Assembly fails to address burning issues: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today termed the Assembly passing the appropriation of Rs.103,000 crore towards Government expenditure during 2009-10 without a meaningful and in-depth discussion as tragic.

Addressing the media, Dr. JP pointed out that the budget envisaged a daily outlay of nearly Rs.283 crore. Yet, the Assembly passed all the demands without any debate on the last day of its session by voice vote.

Although most of the members – 147 of them newly elected – were keen on making a meaningful contribution, they did not get an opportunity because the two main parties monopolized the session running down each other.

Dr. JP said that a budget is expected to harmonize the limited resources with unlimited needs by ensuring that every rupee spent is cost effective. For instance, the Andhra Pradesh Government had made history by allocating Rs.20,000 crore for irrigation this year, a feat not accomplished by any State in post-Independence history. But the Assembly had no occasion to undertake a cost-benefit analysis. The State Government planned to spend Rs.110,000 crore on lift irrigation schemes some of which involve lifting of water to a height of 1500-1600 feet which had not been attempted anywhere in the world. The lift irrigation schemes alone would warrant generation of 8600 mw of power. Far from benefiting farmers, the irrigation and power schemes would land the State in bankruptcy in five years. The power subsidy alone would shoot up to nearly Rs.20,000 crore.

Dr. JP said that notwithstanding loan write-offs and cash payouts and power subsidies, farmers continued to reel under a crisis because basic problems like extending technological know-how and quality inputs and loans to small and marginal farmers and tenants had not been addressed. Even as liquor continued to ruin people’s lives, the Government relied on it to fetch Rs.12,000 crore of the total revenue of Rs.53,000 crore. Although the Government spent Rs.1000 a month on every child in school, the results continued to be awful.

Dr. JP regretted that the Government chanted the mantra of privatization and corporatization for every problem and reveled in abdication of its responsibilities.

Dr. JP said the Government should formulate a long-term strategy at least now to eradicate poverty in the next four years and a half by converting the present economic crisis into an opportunity. He also wanted the Government to empower people by devolving resources on them instead of spending every rupee from the Secretariat to ward off funds siphoning in the process.

“All of us in the Assembly, including me, should accept responsibility and strive to meet the hopes and aspirations of people if history were not to judge us as culprits.”

Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, General Secretary and Mr. V. Laxman Balaji, party spokesman, flanked Dr. JP as he addressed the media.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009 - 18:26

Focus on school education, Lok Satta urges Govt.

Even as it welcomed the Government providing opportunities for higher education to larger and larger numbers of students belonging to weaker sections, the Lok Satta Party today said the Government had failed to give equal importance to primary and high school education.

Talking to the media, party spokespersons Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mrs. K. Geetha Murthy referred to the Chief Minister’s claim that Andhra Pradesh topped all other States in its budget for higher education and said the Government was building an edifice without a strong foundation.

The Lok Satta leaders quoted the Annual Status of Education Report to point out that a large percentage of students up to Class VIII could not read a couple of sentences in their mother tongue or undertake simple division and subtraction of numbers. A survey conducted by the Lok Satta revealed that most of the schools do not have pucca buildings and in most schools classes are conducted in one or two rooms. Most teachers happen to be volunteers and most of the schools do not have drinking water or toilet facilities.

Primary schools witnessed a dropout rate of about 50 percent and the Tenth Class, about 38 percent.

The Lok Satta would like the Government to pay greater attention to primary and higher education through allocation of funds, construction of school buildings, provision of amenities and appointment of teachers.

The leaders pointed out that school students as also hostel inmates went without nutritious food because of the spiraling costs of essential commodities. They wanted the Government to enhance allocation of funds for schemes that enabled poor students to pursue their education.

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 17:24

Let’s us consult Advocate General on Amending Societies Act: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today suggested that the Advocate General’s expertise be tapped when the Legislative Assembly takes up the Bill to amend The Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001for consideration.

In separate letters to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Advocate General, Dr. JP pointed out that Article 177 of the Constitution provided for the participation of the Advocate General in the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly.

He recalled that the Government had introduced the Bill despite the Opposition contention that the House has no legislative competence to enact such a law abridging the Fundamental Rights enunciated in 19 (1) C of the Constitution. “This is not a matter of policy, but a matter of Constitutional law. Therefore, the House needs to be guided by an appropriate authority while dealing with the Bill.”

In his letter to the Advocate General, Dr. JP said that the Bill provides for the supersession of the managing committee of any society ‘which is not functioning properly, or willfully disobeys or fails to comply with any lawful order or direction issued by the Registrar and appointment of a special officer or committee to manage the affairs of the society up to three years.’

Dr. JP said that societies or unions can be regulated by a law imposing reasonable restrictions only in the interests of sovereignty and integrity of India, public order or morality. “But the restrictions sought to be imposed do not pertain to these subjects.”

Dr. JP said, “When there is a vital Constitutional question of this magnitude relating to the Fundamental Rights and Legislative competence, we need the guidance of a Constitutional expert. According to Article 177 of the Constitution, ‘The Advocate General for a State shall have the right to speak in, and otherwise take part in the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of the State… This is a case in which your guidance and Constitutional expertise will be of great value to the House while it considers the important legislation.”

Dr. JP has shared the communication with the all floor leaders, concerned Ministers and the media.

Saturday, August 29, 2009 - 18:33

Pages