Cong flays Oppn on Dummugudem Project

Vijayawada, Feb 22 (UNI) Senior Congress Leader and Party Official Spokesperson Paladagu Venkata Rao today flayed Opposition parties, particularly the CPI(M), for raising hue and cry over meagre allocation allocation in the Budget for the Dummugudem Project in Khammam District.

Addressing a press conference here this evening, Mr Rao asked the CPI(M) Leaders why they were silent (on fund allocation) when the TDP was is in power as "they aligned with it then." He said Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was proceeding in the right direction on the allocation of funds to various projects which were under progress.

Mr Rao asked the Opposition to raise the issue in the Assembly instead of launching agitations and added the state goverment will not be cowed down by such actions.

On the criticism by Opposition on least allotment of funds to various sectors in the Budget and giving priority to irrigation sector, the former Civil Supplies Minister said on such issues, the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister would take decisions and asked the Opposition to desist from making remarks on the state government.

Commenting on the large-scale hoarding of essential commodities, particularly pulses and oils by traders, Mr Rao said action would be initiated by the state government if the traders failed to return the stocks.

He said it was high time the traders voluntarily returned the stocks by giving a report to the collectors on the goods hoarded by them.

He also urged the Collectors, Joint-Collectors and Civil Supplies Department to take necessary steps for checking the prices of essential commodities.

Justifying the crackdown on hoarders by the Vigilance and Enforcement Department across the state last week, he said the raids were conducted to control the spiralling prices of essential commodities.

UNI