AP likely to announce sub-plan for minorities, BCs

A sub-plan for minorities and BCs was under consideration of the Andhra Pradesh government. This was stated by Minorities Welfare Minister P. Raghunadha Reddy in responses to a question raised by Attar Chand Basha, Jaleel Khan, Mohd. Mustafa Shaikh and Azmath Basha of the YSR Congress party in the Assembly here on Tuesday.

The Telugu Desam government, Mr. Reddy said, was committed to the welfare of the minorities. It was the TDP leader, N. Chandrababu Naidu, who raised the budget for the minority welfare. The previous Congress government sanctioned Rs.1,027 crore, but released just Rs. 670 crore. And of this only Rs. 493 crore were spent. The government had sent a proposal to the Government of India for creation of a separate Wakf Board for Andhra Pradesh since it was under the 10th schedule, the Minister said.

Earlier, Mr. Chand Basha (YSRC) gave a vivid account of the condition of minorities in the State and said that a mere lip sympathy wouldn’t do. It was the late Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy who did real benefit to the community by providing 4 per cent reservations to Muslims.

Jaleel Khan (YSRC) said it was unfortunately that the TDP government did not have a single Muslim legislator. This caused uproar in the Treasury Benches and the Speaker asked the member to confine himself to the question. Later in his reply, the Minister said the TDP had the credit of making Dr. Abdul Kalam, the President of India.

The government had decided to undertake temporary repairs to improve the riding surface of the road-cum-rail bridge at Rajahmundry in view of the ensuing Godavari Pushkarmas in 2015. The repairs would be carried out at a cost of Rs.2.50 crore, said Transport Minister S. Raghava Rao.

The road laid in 2005 was damaged at the secondary joints on the deck of the road-cum-rail bridge. Repairs carried out were serving temporarily due to excessive vibrations on account of the movement of trains. Additional support with a mild steel girder was needed, but the Railways were not agreeing to it. “Action is being taken to persuade the Railways,” the Minister said, and added that a new bridge would be ready by next March.