VIJAYAWADA: Stressing the need for exposing all the alleged irregularities and corrupt practices in the previous regime, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the cabinet sub-committee, appointed to review all major policies, projects and administrative decisions of the TDP government, to meet once in five days so that the final report could be submitted in 45 days.
Jagan also told the committee that he would personally review the status of the scrutiny once in every 15 days. The first meeting is likely to be held at the Secretariat on Monday.
Wasting no time after constituting the committee to probe 30 major issues on June 26, the Chief Minister met the members - Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu, Water Resources Minister P Anil Kumar and IT Minister M Gautam Reddy - at his residence at Tadepalli on Sunday.
Hinting that no major policy decision with regard to the subjects in question - capital Amaravati, Polavaram irrigation project, land allocation, tendering process followed in awarding irrigation projects and others - would be taken until the committee submits its report, Kannababu, emerging out of the meeting said, “After the State bifurcation, the people had a lot of expectations and aspirations, but the previous government has faced several allegations. Not only are there allegations, there are also evidences. Since the government has a lot of programmes to implement, the Chief Minister asked us to submit the report within 45 days.”
He further said that the intention of the sub-committee was to put an end to misuse of taxpayers’ money but not political witch hunting. “The CM made the objective clear and told the committee to convene a meeting once in every five days, and that he would review the progress on every third such meeting. He also told us to interact with officials or experts of any cadre to complete the process at the earliest,” he added.
“Uncontrolled diabetes during pregnancy is also one of the causes of preterm labour (foetal macrosomia). Hence,there is a need to screen all pregnant women for gestational diabetes (universal screening by Glucose Challenge Test). Anaemia is a predominant cause which contributes to LBW, seen mostly in families from poor background. Pregnancy after 35 years or below 18 years also leads to LBW babies,” says Dr Kalki Hymavathi, Head of Department, Gynaecology, Narayana Super Speciality Hospital, Nellore.
The committee will seek support from the Anti Corruption Bureau, Vigilance and Enforcement, CID and other investigation agencies.Finance Minister Rajendranath Reddy said that the main focus of the committee would be to ascertain if the tenders for various projects were awarded in a fair manner. “The main suspicion is on irrigation projects where the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) model was abolished and works were awarded lump sum, and urban housing where excess prices were approved. In some cases, the committee will also examine if the projects are necessary at all.
Besides irrigation projects, land allocation/procurement in capital Amaravati will also be scrutinised,” he said, pointing out that some former bureaucrats, who served in the TDP government, had openly criticised the then policies. Citing allegations of corruption in Godavari and Krishna Pushkarams, Rajendranath Reddy also noted that corruption was rampant right down to the lowest level.
“The previous government faced criticism for irregularities in procurement of water sachets, erecting tents and provision of other facilities during pushkarams, and spending a huge amount on ‘Domalapai Dandayatra’ and on special drives to put an end to rat menace in hospitals,” he observed.