CM to raise power crisis with Centre

Hyderabad, Jan 10 (UNI) Ahead of his visit to New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said he would impress upon the Centre to allocate more power to the state, which was witnessing a power shortage.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said he would thank United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for sanctioning one of the three Indian Institutes of Technology to the state in the 11th plan period.

He would urge the Centre to finalise the 'hardware policy' soon to facilitate setting up of the multicrore 'FAB City' project.

The Chief Minister, who had earlier indicated expansion of his cabinet during 'Sankaranti' festival next week, made it clear that cabinet expansion would not feature in the discussion with the party high command.

Citing the examples of Bihar and Orissa, Dr Reddy wanted the Prime Minister to personally intervene to sanction five lakh houses more under the Indira Awaas Yojana(IAJ) during this year to people below poverty line, who had lost their houses during the cyclone and floods in August and November last year.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, a copy of which was released to the press here, he said in similar siutations in the past in Bihar and Orissa, additional houses were sanctioned under the IAJ.

UNI