AP CM participates in ''Rachabanda'' programme in Telangana

Hyderabad, Jan 27 (PTI) Defying protests by TRSactivists, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddyheld his government''s ambitious mass-contact programme''Rachabanda'' in Telangana region today.

Reddy participated in the ''Rachabanda'' (villagejunction) programme at Singaipally village of Kodair mandal inMahbubanagar district in Telangana today, where TRS workersand others held protests.

Reddy interacted with women over the implementation ofvarious government schemes and told the officials that everyrupee being spent should reach the targeted beneficiaries.

The protesters threw stones at buses and tried to disruptthe programmes.

In other places in Telangana like Siddipet in Medakdistrict, Warangal, Nalgonda and others, the protestersdisrupted the programme by throwing away chairs and asking theofficials to leave the place.

Alleging that the ''Rachabanda'' programme is an attemptto dilute the separate Telangana agitation, TRS president KChandrasekhar Rao has called for its boycott and asked peopleto drive away Congress MLAs and MPs who attend the programme.

State Civil Supplies Minister D Sridhar Babu toldreporters that the programme was held at 654 places in theregion out of which it was disrupted at about 90 places.

The Chief Minister participated in the programmeearlier in the day in Kurnool district. .

The Chief Minister will be participating in the ''Rachchabanda'' programme at K C Thanda in Ranga Reddy districtin Telangana tomorrow and will also attend a public meeting atMaheswaram.

Reddy will inaugurate new blocks of Andhra PradeshSocial Welfare Residential School Buildings and attend another''Rachchabanda'' programme at K Mallepally, Devarakonda mandalin Nalgonda district tomorrow.

''Rachabanda'' aims at checking whether the benefits ofwelfare schemes like old age pensions, housing for poorpeople, ration cards reached the targeted sections or not andto take corrective measures. The programme began on January 24and it will continue till February 12.

Sridhar Babu said the third day of ''Rachchabanda''programme was largely peaceful and orderly in all areasof the state except at very few places in Telangana.

''Rachabanda'' programme was held at 1611 places acrossthe state today. It was conducted at 649 places in coastalAndhra, 308 places in Rayalaseema and 654 places in Telangana.

''Rachabanda'' programme has so far covered 3,107villages/gram panchayats all over the state, official sourcessaid.

''Rachabanda'', a brain child of late Y S RajasekharaReddy, was supposed to have been launched by him on September2, 2009. But he died in the tragic plane crash on that daywhile he was on the way to Chittoor district to inaugurate thescheme.