AP to set up monitoring system to keep tab on govt programmes

Terming the one year performance of the Andhra Pradesh government as quite satisfactory, All India Congress Committee's (AICC) state in-charge, Digvijay Singh said that a monitoring system would be set up to track and check the implementation of all the government schemes.

The measure also includes surprise checks by both the ministers and the election manifesto committee members twice a year to find out the ground level implementation of those programmes, he said.

"Monthly monitoring should be done on the activities and programmes in areas such as health and education to find out whether the basic facilities are in place, doctors and teachers are properly working and whether scholarships are being given to students timely. Chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has assured that he would enlist all those schemes which need to be monitored on a regular basis," Singh told media after two-and-a-half-hour long Election Manifesto Committee (EMC) meeting at the state party headquarters.

The meeting was attended by AICC Election Manifesto Committee members, Jaffer Sharrif and Sivacharan Mathur apart from the chief minister, Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Keshava Rao and Digvijay Singh.

According to Singh, a committee has also been set up by the government to identify the problem areas and come up with solutions to provide good governance in the state.

Singh said that of the total 158 promises made by the party in Andhra Pradesh, 28 have been fulfilled and 124 are under implementation, including the promise of bringing 65 lakh acres of additional ayacut under irrigation projects at a cost of Rs 46,000 crore.

But four promises, namely "� reduction of tax on agricultural inputs from 4 per cent to 2 per cent, subsidy of Rs 100 per cylinder for a specified number of LPG fillings, a separate minority women's development corporation and making gram sevaks as fourth class government employees have been summarily dropped after they were found unviable, Singh said.

The promises that have been fulfilled include free power to farmers, waiving of power dues, distribution of cultivable land among landless poor and providing loan to women self-help groups at subsidised interest rates. According to him, post-poll promises made by the government have also been included for monitoring.

"Credibility of the party depends on the seriousness of the state governments in fulfilling the promises made to people. Which is why all the Congress ruled states have formed the election manifesto committees to ensure the implementation of those promises," he said.

Singh was unambiguous when he touched upon the two contentious issues of peace talks with naxalites and the development of Telangana region. "We are still open to dialogue with naxalites. But the ball is now in their court," he said, adding that the initiative this time should come from the Maoists.

Replying to a question, he said that weapons issue is very much part of the agenda as discussions cannot remain open ended and should result in establishing peace and relinquishment of weapons and violence by Maoists.

On the issue of Telangana, Singh said he has requested the chief minister to be sensitive to the cause and issues of the development of Telangana.

"I have urged the chief minister to pay special attention to the region. In fact, Telangana is to get irrigation facility for 28 lakh acres of the total 65 lakh acres of land proposed to be brought under assured irrigation in the next five years," he said.