Package for farmers soon

BY V L SRINIVASAN

Published on Oct 28

Kadapa: After Prime Minister Manmohan Singh praised Y S Rajasekhara Reddy at the Chief Ministers’ conference in Nainital, it was the turn of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to shower encomiums on him for the good work he has been doing to make the State prosper.

Addressing a large gathering after inaugurating the 750-bed Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), built at a cost of Rs 125 crore here, she said that she was impressed by Reddy’s efforts in mitigating the suffering of farmers who were unable to free themselves from the grip of money lenders. Reddy was on the dais radiating smiles.

‘‘Farmers’ suicides, though the number has come down after the UPA has taken over at the Centre, continue to be an area of concern,’’ she said and reiterated that the Centre would come out with a package to help farmers in 16 drought-prone districts in the State.

She spoke hardly for 20 minutes and the crowd appeared enthused and listened to her with rapt attention. They cheered her whenever she praised Rajasekhara Reddy even as the police had a tough time in controlling the surging crowd who thronged the venue to get a glimpse of Sonia Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi, on the occasion, released water for 50,000 acres from the Brahmam Sagar (Brahmam Gari Matham Reservoir) and laid the foundation-stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Dental College.

She said that RIMS would help fulfill the long-cherished dreams of the people in the region for a modern medical facility and recalled the vision of her late husband Rajiv Gandhi for using modern technology to improve the lot of the people. ‘‘He foresaw technology and IT would act as an instrument of social change,’’ she said.

Sonia was happy that Rajasekhara Reddy was moving in that direction. ‘‘I am satisfied with his work particularly in the area of augmenting irrigation potential. Jala Yagnam aims at creating 73 lakh acres of new ayacut,’’ she said, sharing his view that river waters should not be allowed to go waste into the sea. She took a dig at the TDP for not bothering to pay attention to the concerns of farmers and workers during its nine-year rule in the State. Rajasekhara Reddy outlined the details of his Jala Yagnam programme and promised to complete Telugu Ganga works within a year by investing up to Rs 1800 crore.