Cong. membership drive from July 14

Registration of Congress membership will formally start on July 14 at Gandhi Bhavan, informed the PCC president, Mr D. Srinivas.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Srinivas said that the programme would begin in the presence of AICC Incharge of AP affairs, Mr. Veerappa Moily and Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and would continue upto September first week. Membership books would be distributed on the same day. Membership drive would formally start in district headquarters on July 21 and in Mandal head quarters on July 28. He further said that without being registered as a voter and a photo, the Congress membership could not be ensured to anybody.

He also appealed to the Congress workers to take a proactive role in registering new voters above 18 in the voters list, which now is going on in 281 assembly constituencies and will continued upto July 14. The voter registration will be upto August 24 in the remaining constituencies, that had gone for bye-polls recently.

However, he denied to comment Congress MP Mr. Harsha Kumar' s remarks on SC categorisation that he would resign if the centre would go for SC categorization bill to pass in the parliament and formation of Telangana state is solution for the issue.

“Strong movement vital” to eliminate graft at Lower Level

The Central Vigilance Commissioner, Mr. Pratyush Sinha said that unless there is a strong civil movement, it is very difficult to eliminate corruption from the grass route level in the society.

Speaking at the fifth anniversary celebrations of Vigilance Study Circle(VSC) of Hyderabad today at IICT auditorium, Sinha said that as corruption was eating the developmental activities of all countries,the growth rate is just for namesake. He said that ethical governance cannot be outsourced as it should be within the organisation. Eliminating corruption is not only the responsibility of the institutions but also it should be fought at individual level as in Western European countries. Gradually the public sector is giving way to private sector in India, in terms of change of managements. The Indian private sector is one of the most corrupted sectors in the world, he observed.

He said that the cruel effect on corruption was mostly felt on poor which should be lowered at least in south east Asian countries. The corruption level is being checked to some extent after the introduction of the Information Technology in governance. He said that the typical Indian attitude of ‘sab kuch chalega should be changed. He said that

Latin American country Argentina, was the second richest country in the world in 19th century, but the failure of institutional mechanism in checking corruption has been reduced to a developing country, he added He stressed for systematic changes in all systems of administration, apply more knowledge in adminstration or super visionary mechanism should be made responsible for any misconduct in organisations to curb corruption.

Vigilance Commissioner, Mrs. Ranjana Kumar said that internal audit was most important for any organisation as it would help to minimize corruption.

Padmabhushan, Dr. S. Subramanian, President, Vigilance Study Circle said that corruption was an invisible tax on poor. Taking action against corruption was simple to hear, but it is very difficult to implement, he opined and added that Knowledge, skills, attitude and habits are important for success. In view of several personnel department officers who have no idea of filing a charge sheet, this study circle was established five years go to create awareness and to use it as a platform for vigilance officers to enhance their knowledge.

Mr. Rama Somu,CMD, NMDC, K. Rajasekhara Rao, CMD, ECIL, Dr. K. Ramakrishnan, CMD, Andhra Bank, Mrs. Renu Chellu, MD, SBH, Major General, Rave Khetrapal, CMD, BDL and Mr. Ramesh , Marketing Officer, Midhani pointed out some of their experiences in the organisation to combat corruption and advised them for steps by Vigilance officers to ensure transparency.

Mr. Mohanthy, IFS presented the VSC secretary’s report. Admiral Tahilyani, Mr. K. Ramasubban, Secretary, VSC and Mr. JRK Rao, advisor, VSC and Mr. Laxminaryana, DIG, CBI, and a large number of Vigilance officers and senior officers of ACB apart from AP were also present.

GO’ on Night Safari Project amended

The State Government today amended a GO in respect of award of Night Safari and Eco-Park tourism project in Kothaguda reserve forest area to M/s TRAC India (P) limited.

The Government, vide GO Rt. No.323 issued by the Environment, forests, science and technology department, has made an amendment to GO Ms. No.75 dated June 12, 2006. As per recent orders, the item i.e. five blocks of cottages spreading in five eco zones each with 50 room facility and any other item will be substituted with “the number of rooms/cottages or any other item will be based on the needs and future demand as long as the acreage meant for the Eco-Habitat project is within the overall guidelines of 10 per cent of the project site (excluding area for common infrastructure facilities). The Vice-Chairman and managing director of AP Forest development corporation limited would take necessary action.

Left Parties adopt ‘Double’ standards on N-Deal: YS

Making it clear that India would not surrender by mortgaging the nation’s interests before the United States, Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy remarked that the left parties have been adopting ‘double’ standards on the issue of Nuclear deal to be signed between India and US. “Left parties feel that it is correct if China signs the agreement on nuclear deal, but do not agree to it in respect of India. In fact, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh wanted to go ahead with the nuclear deal keeping the nation’s interests in view”, he observed.

Talking to a private television channel here, Dr. Reddy felt the need of signing of nuclear deal by India in view of rise in fuel prices. There was a need to have alternative resources to overcome fuel crisis. Developed countries like France have been using upto 60 per cent of nuclear energy to meet the demand. There was no truth in the opposition parties allegations or apprehensions that nuclear energy would be used for ‘destructive’ purposes. In fact, the opposition BJP would have signed the deal if it was in power in the country, he added.

Replying to a query on poll alliances, the Chief Minister asserted that it was not new for the Congress party to fight elections alone. Both the TRS and left parties have maintained distance from the ruling Congress to have political opportunism. There was no need for the Congress to hurry for having poll alliances with other parties. The Congress would not go back in fighting elections on its own. The Congress would welcome those parties which strive for secularism and the nation’s interests. He exuded confidence that the Congress would win as many as 230 Assembly and 36 Lok Sabha seats in the 2009 elections.

The Chief Minister disputed with the reports that the Maoists have gained an upper hand in incidents like Chitrakonda on Andhra Orissa border. In fact, the incident took place outside the state, and the police system was weak in Orissa and Chattisgarh when compared with Andhra Pradesh. There was no recruitment by naxalites in the state as the Government has provided enormous employment opportunities in the naxal-affected areas. Besides, the Government was successful to check factionalism during the last four years period, he claimed.