The Hindu : Front Page : Congress to counter land struggle

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007
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Congress to counter land struggle

Special correspondent

Plans mass contact programme to enlist ‘Indiramma’ beneficiaries

HYDERABAD: In an attempt to counter the land struggle launched by opposition parties, the Congress has resolved to launch a mass contact programme in three phases from September 1 to December 31 to register beneficiaries under the second and third phases of ‘Indiramma’ programme.

Congress workers would fan out into villages to enlist the eligible beneficiaries and present them to the Government for immediate processing. This was decided at the APCC Coordination Committee meeting convened by AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh to take stock of the political situation arising out of Left parties’ land struggle and the police firing at Mudigonda in Khammam district. A meeting of the Manifesto Implementation Committee was also held at his instance.

‘Grihapraveshams’

Addressing a press conference later, Mr. Singh said the Congress was committed to implementing its election promise of providing houses to all those without shelter in the State. “Nobody will be left shelterless by 2009. Beneficiaries under the first phase of ‘Indiramma’ will hold mass ‘Griha praveshams’ (house-warming ceremony) in October and it will be attended by Congress workers. They will conduct a door-to-door survey to ensure that none is left out,” he said. The AICC leader endorsed the State Government stand’s on providing houses and not mere house sites, as the allotment of sites might lead to change of ownership of the property.

On the Left parties’ demand for implementing the Koneru Ranga Rao Land Committee’s report in to-to, he pointed out the Government had accepted 74 recommendations and would take a decision on the remaining 30 before August 31.

Mr. Singh said Congress workers would also verify if the public distribution system was being implemented properly and if the employment guarantee programme and the pension disbursement scheme were being properly implemented.

Terming the Mudigonda firing “highly regrettable” he patted the Government for immediately announcing compensation for the families of victims.

He said he did not wish to join issue with the Left on the violence in Nandigram but would ask if the West Bengal Government’s stand was appropriate after the firing in that village.

He released a status report on implementation of election manifesto expressing satisfaction at the functioning of the Rajasekhara Reddy Government.

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