HYDERABAD: Apart from continuation of ongoing populist schemes like free power to the agriculture sector (being implemented by the Rajasekhara Reddy Government), Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) is understood to have included schemes like extension of free power supply to artisans, 50 per cent power subsidy to domestic rural sector and supply of provisions at Rs 100 per month per family in its draft election manifesto.
PRP manifesto committee chairman P Shiva Shankar, along with committee members concerned, handed over the draft election manifesto report to party president Chiranjeevi at the State party office here Thursday. The PRP chief was not ready to reveal the contents of the report immediately and wanted everybody, particularly the Opposition parties, to start guessing about the report. It is learnt that the PRP will disclose its manifesto report after a week’s time. Prior to it, the PRP chief will have discussions with all important party leaders and organisations concerned before finalising the election manifesto.
According to sources, contents of the PRP draft election manifesto included establishment of Backward Class Commission at the State level, formation of Finance Commission at the district level, special focus on selfgovernance at the village level, infrastructure development in urban areas, medical, health and other sectors, 16.2 per cent `mandatory’ budgetary allocations for SC and ST communities and concrete plan for uplift of people who are economically backward.
The contents of the first three pages of the draft report is related to the formation of the PRP and prevailing political situation in both the State and at the Central level. In all, the draft manifesto has given top priority to `social justice’ and in bringing a `change’ in the society.
Govt offers it for just rs 50
To counter the Praja Rajyam Party’s (PRP) offer of providing a pack of provisions at Rs 100, the State Government is making efforts to supply a pack of 10 condiments to ration card holders at just Rs 50. The proposed project will be taken up on a pilot basis in selected mandals of Chittoor, Kadapa, Nellore, Kurnool and Guntur districts. The package of 10 products weighing 660 gram contains turmeric powder (50 gm), chilli powder (250 gm), dhaniya powder (150 gm), bengal gram dal (50 gm), mustard (50 gm), urad dal (25 gm), jeera (25 gm), black pepper (25 gm), patta lavang (10 gm) and methi (fenugreek) (25 gm). The package will be supplied by Gruhamitra Traders of Chittoor district and sold through Fair Price Shops (FPS) to card holders. The State Government issued orders (GO 10) to this effect today. The Gruhamitra Traders offered a margin of Rs 1 to FPS dealers and Rs 0.50 paise to the APCSCL as facilitation charges. However, the Government affirmed that the suppliers should not force the fair price shop holders to buy their products and that it would not be responsible for the sale of these products.