Cabinet expansion, council revival in offing: YSR

Hyderabad, Sep 2 (UNI) Stating that the much awaited expansion of the Cabinet will be taken up this month-end and the revival of the Legislative council in coming January, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said the Centre was happy with the development pace in Telangana.

Returning from New Delhi after holding talks with central leaders, Dr Reddy told reporters here that Union Law Minister H R Bharadwaj was positive on the council issue.

Informing that the state government had sought Rs 3,500 crore assistance from the Centre for relief and rehabiliation of flood-hit people, he hoped that with support from UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the Centre would grant a liberal assistance.

The Centre was happy with the way the state government had tackled Naxalism as a socio-economic issue, giving no room for fake encounters, he said, adding that the government only wanted to provide training for tribals along with others. He said there would be no separate Girijan battalion.

Mr Reddy hinted at reviving 'police-patel system' (the village officer incharge of policing was called police-patel) prevailing during the Nizam rule, as it had given good results in the rural areas.

Detailing the package for the families of farmers, who had committed suicide, on the lines of the package for Vidarbha, he said the State would bear Rs 5000 crore of the Rs 11,000 crore package.

The package involved waiver of farmers loans (Rs 1400 to Rs 1500 crore) and Rs 300 crore central grant for seeds replacement on farm.

The efforts being made to develop Telangana would continue with vigour, he added.

The state was contemplating filing of a review petition in the court against the recent order of the new Krishna Water tribunal.

The Primary Agricultural Societies would be strenghthened with Rs 2,200 crore help from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, he added.

UNI SM SAM GC2002