Press Releases Archive

Government to blame for High School drop-outs

The Lok Satta Party said today that the number of school dropouts in Andhra Pradesh has gone up because of Government’s attempts to withdraw from the field and encourage the private sector.

“The Government is guilty of criminal negligence”, charged Lok Satta Party’s Organizational Affairs Convener B. Ramamohana Rao and Working Committee member Laxman Balaji referring to the increase in the percentage of dropouts from 5.42 to 6.88. Pointing out that education played a key role in eradicating poverty and discrimination based on caste and religion, they demanded that education be made the center point of politics.

The Lok Satta leaders recalled that the Government had been engaged in shutting down schools in the public sector and encouraged private schools and turned education into a lucrative business proposition. Even common and middle class people are forced to send their children to private schools as the state of affairs in Government schools is miserable. Accentuating the problem, the Government was watered down the midday meal scheme which acted as a magnate for children from poor and downtrodden classes. The Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out that Andhra Pradesh failed to utilize the funds allocated for the scheme.

The Lok Satta leaders wanted the Government to ensure classes took place in one campus and the midday meal scheme is effectively implemented.

Thursday, January 22, 2009 - 18:23

Lok Satta to unveil district governments on Jan. 23

The Lok Satta Party will be unveiling district governments on January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhashchandra Bose, who had served as Calcutta Mayor and underlined the importance of local governments.

Disclosing this to the media here today, party Working Committee members Laxman Balaji and V. Vijayender Reddy said that on that day the party would organize a function at district headquarters and announce a district cabinet comprising a premier and 11 ministers. Apart from hoisting the national and the district flag, the district units of the party will be releasing a booklet dealing with district development and screening a film on district government.

“The Lok Satta party feels that as the entire country has a national government and the State, a state government, a district too should have its own government. Many of the districts in Andhra Pradesh are bigger than 80 countries in the world. Therefore, there is no reason why a district should not have its own government.

“As per the Lok Satta plan, the State government will devolve 50 percent of its resources on district governments and also make a per capita grant of Rs.1000 to villages and towns.”

The cabinet being formed by the Lok Satta will take up people’s problems relating to education, health, housing and other facilities and try to address them at the district level.

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan will take part in the unveiling of the Ranga Reddy district government at a function to he held at Ramya Grounds in KPHB Phase III on the evening of January 23.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 16:04

Lok Satta supports Dr. Nageswar

The Lok Satta Party today pledged its total support to Dr. K. Nageswar, who is contesting the election to the Legislative Council again from the graduates' constituency of Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Mahbubnagar districts.

Party spokesman Katari Srinivasa Rao and Working Committee member N. Ravinder told the media the party had taken the decision in response to a request from Dr. Nageswar.

The Lok Satta Party leaders said that Dr. Nageswar had the distinction of pinning down the Government in the Legislative Council on its anti-people and authoritarian policies. He analyzed every issue objectively and presented his viewpoint without indulging in personal criticism. The presence of people like Dr. Nagewar in the Legislative Council would restore dignity to the profession of politics, they added.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - 16:15

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