Lok Satta unveils its vision of new society

Hyderabad, Jul 26 (UNI) The Lok Satta party today pledged to form district governments, provide free and quality education upto class XII, quality healthcare to all and security to those in unorganised sector, if elected to power in the 2009 Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

Releasing a booklet ''Silent Revolution'', Lok Satta president Jayaprakash Narayan said district governments could play a pivotal role in governance reforms and under the party rule, each district would have a directly-elected premier and ministers in charge of various portfolios, and district collector would act as a Chief Secretary.

The government would devolve 50 per cent of plan funds on district governments, which will in turn transfer them to local governments and it would be responsible for providing safe drinking water, sanitation and drainage, roads, housing and all other facilities.

In addition, a per capita grant of Rs 1000 will be made to both villages and towns.

The party would develop 1000 small towns with an investment of Rs 25,000 crore. Local roads, transport, water supply, drainage, parks, libraries, education, healthcare and training industries would be also encouraged.

The party would also pay attention to imparting job skills to youth and guaranteed employment by establishing ultra-modern training centres. The youth will be paid a monthly stipend of Rs 1500 during their year long training.

Dr Narayan said the party would provide social security to one crore families in the unorganised sector, who earn a monthly income of less than Rs 5000 and the government would enable every poor student to pursue education of their choice including engineering and medicine, at its cost.

Every student from poor and rural families, irrespective of caste or religion, will be given ten per cent bonus marks in competitive exams for higher education or jobs, a press release here said.

Six hundred, 50-bedded hospitals would be built throughout the state and a computerised agri-clinic would be established for every 3,000 acres, he added.

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