Lok Satta credible alternative to collapsing parties: Dr Jayaprakash

Hyderabad, Oct 11 : Claiming that all traditional parties have collapsed in fulfilling the common man dreams and aspirations, Loksatta party president Dr Jayaprakash Narayan said today that his party has to emerge as an alternative to these parties.''Most politicians are concerned about their future and their children's future and not of the country and the people,'' he said adding that the people and the economy have ceased to be their concern except on the eve of elections. ''In contrast, the Lok Satta is committed to providing a platform for all those interested in building the future of the country,'' Dr Jayaprakash said.Addressing a 'Leadership summit' organised on the party's fourth anniversary, Dr JP expressed different political parties have been derailing growth and prosperity with their hypocritical policies. ''All parties claim to be pro-agriculture and pro-farmer but their actions belie them. Warehouses in the country are overflowing with 50 million tons of food grains, some of it rotting, while a buffer stock of 16 million tons will do. Yet the Government of India dithers on permitting exports and ensuring a remunerative price to the farmer,'' he said. Marking the 2009 floods in River Krishna, he said people devastated by the flood still continue to live in make-shift camps even as the dam on the Krishna and its tributaries remain vulnerable. ''With agriculture becoming a losing proportion, there is an exodus of the rural youth into urban areas. Yet the Government is not building small towns to serve as hubs of economic activity and promote livelihood opportunities, he said.
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South Central Railway, to run special trains between Secunderabad-Visakapatnam

Hyderabad, Oct 11 : South Central Railway (SCR) will run four Special Trains Secunderabad-Visakapatnam to clear extra rush of traffic.According to an SCR press release here Train No. 0866A Secunderabad-Visakapatnam Special Train will depart Secunderabad on October 14 and 21 at 2330 hrs and arrive in Visakapatnam at 1215 hrs on the next day. In the return direction, Train No. 0865A Visakapatnam- Secunderabad Special Train will leave Visakapatnam on October 13 and 20 at 1905 hrs and arrive Secunderabad at 0815 hrs on the next day. Enroute, these trains will stop at Secunderabad, Kazipet, Warangal, Khammam, Madhira,Vijayawada, Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Rajahmundry, Samalkot, Annavaram, Tuni, Duvvada and Visakhapatnam, in both the directions.
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Congress MLC Condemns TDP's attack on micro finance

Hyderabad, Oct 11 : Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary and Member of Legislative Council(MLC) Gidugu Rudra Raju today strongly condemned the unwarranted remarks of Dr Mysoora Reddy, Rajya Sabha Member, Telugu Desam Party againest Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and CWC Member and AICC General Secretary Mr Rahul Gandhi with regards to microfinance.In a statement, Mr Rudra Raju said when issuing statement, Dr Reddy must think twice about the reforms made by Dr Manmohan Singh where almost all the countries across the world appreciated the efforts of the Prime Minister that his financial administration is stood for weaker sections and lower rungs of the society.He said, Dr Reddy don't know about the sacrifices and services made by Mr Rahul Gandhi towards the down-trodden and tribes of the society. Mr Rahul always thinks about the welfare of the weaker sections. Allmost all the leaders of different parties appreciated his selfless services partaining to his vision with regards to welfare activities.He said under the stewardship of Congress President Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the UPA Government broght many welfare programmes for the development of the SC/ST/BC and Minorities.The MLC said first time in India, in our State government has provided loan for the poor at the rate of 0.25 paise more funds for DWACRA.
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Protests against finance firms as two more commit suicide

Hyderabad, Oct 11: Two people committed suicide Monday in Andhra Pradesh after microfinance companies allegedly harassed them for non-repayment of loans. Opposition parties have urged the government to take action against the firms while a rights panel has asked police to submit the reports on suicides.While an auto driver committed suicide in Warangal district, a woman ended her life in East Godavari district. Another woman attempted suicide by consuming pesticides in Karimnagar district and was battling for her life at a local hospital.Their relatives alleged that microfinance firms were harassing them for nonpayment of loans.Meanwhile, the opposition parties have alleged that dozens of people had committed suicide in the state in the past few weeks. Expressing concern, Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary K. Narayana has urged the state government to take immediate steps in this issue.The microfinance firms are accused of luring people with low interest rates. However, they later charge high interest rates, allege the parties.Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), taking suo motu cognizance of media reports on suicides, issued notices last week to the district collectors to submit their reports by Oct 29. Commission chairman Kakumanu Peda Peri Reddy also directed the superintendents of police to take action in this regard.
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TDP Leader demands referendum on Telangana

Vijayawada, Oct 10 : Former Minister and senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Kodela Siva Prasad today demanded a referendum in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad over the creation of a separate Telangana state. Addressing a press conference here. he said most of the people in Telangana in general and the twin cities in particular, favoured a ''United Andhra Pradesh'', but some vested interests were inciting innocent people.Commenting on the newly floated Telanaga Praja Front by popular revolutionary poet and singer Gadar, he ridiculed that a number of organisations launched by various people were demanding a separate Telangana state. But most of them were defunct now.Meanwhile, expressing anger over the state government's indifferent attitude to buy paddy from farmers, the former Minister demanded that the Rosaiah government must open godowns to store paddy bought from farmers.''Due to non-availability of godowns, paddy procurement had come to a stand still, pushing the farmers into debts. The farmers were incurring losses, unable to sell their produce,'' he alleged.Telugu Desam MLA Devineni Umamaheshwara Rao alleged today Congress MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy was forcing him to launch a ''malicious propaganda'' against the TDP President.
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CM asks TRANSCO to take extensive cultivation into consideration

Hyderabad, Oct 10 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah today asked TRANSCO to take into account extensive cultivation taken up by the farmers in all the districts again due to the availability of ground water.Dr Rosaiah cleared the proposal of power utilities to provide 1.5 lakh new power connections for agriculture motor pump sets which will provide benefit of free power supply during 2010-11. With today's decision of the Chief Minister, the long pending desire of farming community has been fulfilled. The Chief Minister said a Comprehensive Action Plan to ensure quality power supply to all sectors including agriculture and industries was almost ready. Earlier, the Chief Minister wanted the Power Utility in the State to prepare a concrete action plan for reliable and quality power supply to various sectors since the generation had vastly improved due to extremely good inflows into all the reservoirs in the state.The Chief Minister had a brief meeting over the issues of power supply with Chief Secretary S V Prasad, Principal Secretary to CM C V S K Sarma, Principal Secretary, Energy, Suthirtha Bhattacharya, CMD, AP Transco, Ajay Jain and other officials viz Sri Umesh Sharaaf, JMD, Sri K Ranganatham, Addl JMD, APTRANSCO. During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed the APTRANSCO/ DISCOMs to provide all these new power connections to farmers on war footing before March, 2011.
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Homeopathy, the effective treatment for allergies: Dr Bakshi

Hyderabad, Oct 10 : The Andhra Pradesh chapter of 'Appreciating Homeopathy' initiative today organized a seminar in the city to discuss the latest advancements in the field of Homeopathy.Venerated expert, world-renowned Homoeopath Dr S P S Bakshi, President of Homoeopathic Medical Association of India, former President of Central Council of Homoeopathy and CMD, Bakson's Group Ltd, enlightened the fraternity about the distinct new approach for the manifestations and management of allergy on the muscoskeletal system, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system and skin.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bakshi said ''This initiative is a step towards increasing the acceptance of Homeopathy and allows an exchange of ideas on recent developments in the field. Allergy is a 100 headed monster that affects one in every three Indians at least once in their lifetime but not many are aware that Homeopathy offers an excellent line of treatment as it addresses the problem by naturally strengthening the immunity of an individual.''
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Gaddar's Telangana outfit to chalk out plans Oct 14

Hyderabad, Oct 10 : The steering committee of Telangana Praja Front (TPF), floated by Maoist sympathiser Gaddar to fight for separate statehood to Telangana, will meet Oct 14 to chalk out its future course of action.Gaddar told reporters Sunday that the meeting would take key decisions to take forward the Telangana movement.The steering committee, headed by Gaddar, comprises 85 members - three representatives from each district and activists of different organisations.The revolutionary balladeer called upon people to join TFP, saying the front would bring all pro-Telangana forces on a common platform.Gaddar, elected president of TFP at its first meeting here Saturday, said he would bow before no power except people's power. He confirmed that Vimala, wife of Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (Janashakti) secretary Amar, was a member of TPF.The only agenda of TPF was to force the government to table a bill in parliament for formation of a separate Telangana state, he said.The meeting Saturday had passed a resolution to build a movement for introduction of a bill in the winter session of parliament. The TPF will mount pressure on MPs from the region for tabling the bill.The meeting also decided to hold protests in villages to keep the Telangana demand alive and build the movement on the basis of social justice.Though Gaddar stressed that the goal of Telangana can be achieved only through mass movement and not through elections, the steering committee is expected to take a decision on whether the front should contest polls.The leaders who addressed the meeting Saturday expressed divergent views on the issue. Some student groups wants TPF to stay away from elections, pointing out that the parties formed on the slogan of a separate Telangana gave up the movement after their leaders were elected to parliament and the assembly.
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