Cong hails CM for donating land for distribution to poor

Hyderabad, Jan 4 (UNI) The brain meeting session of the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh today hailed Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and his family for coming forward to give over 1,300 acres of land for distribution to the poor.

The meeting, convened to make a critical appraisal of the Congress Government in the state and work out strategies for the 2009 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, welcomed Dr Reddy for his 'magnificient gesture' of donating land owned by his family run company worth crores of rupees.

Briefing media on the discussions at the two-day meet attended by, among others, All India Congress Committee General Secretary incharge of Andhra affairs Digvijay Singh and the Chief Minister, PCC President K Keshava Rao said the party wanted the Government, which had so far distributed 4.37 lakh acres to the poor and tagged on with the 'Indira Prabha' scheme for their development, to identify all types of lands for distribution to the poor.

The Committee headed by Municipal Administration Minister and former Deputy Chief Minister Koneru Ranga Rao had identified over 40 lakh acres of land for distribution.

The party members, who spoke at the first day of the two-day meet wanted the Government to take urgent steps to distribute the land in the next two years.

The party wanted the Government to evolve a concrete programme for development and involve the party workers to highlight the Government's programmes effectively to the people.

Asked about the discussions within the party on the Telangana issue, he said members expressed their views freely.

Replying to a quesy, he said some members wanted the Chief Minister to take an early decision on the much-awaited Cabinet expansion.

UNI