76,000 acres of Bhoodan land missing in AP

Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh calls it the ‘scam beyond parallel.’ Some 2.5 million acres of the 5 million acres donated under Acharya Vinobha Bhave’s Bhoodan movement has vanished without a trace, he said last week. The situation in Andhra Pradesh, the state where the Gandhian launched his movement 61 years ago, is no better. Some 76,000 acres of Bhoodan land has allegedly been cornered by people other than the intended beneficiaries. They include some land sharks and realtors.
Vinobha Bhave launched his movement in Pochampally village in Nalgonda district in 1951. It was the country’s first voluntary land redistribution initiative.
Since the movement was kicked off with a donation of 100 acres by a landlord of Pochampally, some 1.95 lakh acres was pledged to the movement. Of this, the AP Bhoodan Yagna Board distributed around 1.10 lakh acres till date.
 Some 9,000 acres still remain with it but a staggering 76,000 acres has been cornered by non-eligible beneficiaries. Also, much of the 1.10 lakh actually distributed to the landless poor subsequently passed to ineligible persons. The Bhoodan Yagna Board rules stipulate that Bhoodan land cannot be sold.
Consequently, the AP Bhoodan Board is bogged down in litigation, says its chairman C V Chary, to fight which it has neither the staff nor the resources.
For example, realtors are said to have encroached upon around 600 acres of Bhoodan land in Rayapuram near Bibinagar alone.
There were several allegations against some of the functionaries of the board. One of them is alleged to have allotted the plot of land to two or three beneficiaries in return for a consideration. “Yes, there are several irregularities relating to allotment of lands to the poor,” said one board member, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “I am fed up and have stopped attending board’s meetings.”
When the missing 76,000 acres of Bhoodan land came to light in 2010 and even figured in the Assembly, the state government promised action within six months. But nothing has happened till date.

Astrologers help Chandrababu Naidu take a walk on his way to Power

TDP honcho Chandrababu Naidu is not known to trust astrologers.
But after being eight years out of power—and not because of the lack of trying—Naidu has decided to follow the advice of his brother-in-law and film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna while choosing an auspicious time to set off on his 117-day yatra to drum up popularity in the state for the coming elections.
He hopes God will be right beside him as he embarks on a 2,320 km pada yatra (walkathon) from October 2. His proposed pada yatra is meant for wooing people and erase the image of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy from the minds of people.
Rajasekhara Reddy walked nearly 1,475 km and captured power from TDP. Now, Rajasekhara Reddy's son Jagan Mohan party is giving a political threat to Naidu. So, Naidu is a little worried over the future and wants to launch his pada yatra either from Kodangal in Telangana or Hindupur in Rayalaseema region.
At this juncture, Naidu’s brother-in-law Balakrishna reportedly consulted the astrologers and took their advice. In turn, Balakrishna informed Naidu about the astrologers’ advice. Naidu, who is in a dilemma over when and where to start pada yatra, followed the advice of astrologers. In all likelihood, Naidu will start from Hindupur in Anantapur district. “We have consulted the astrologers. They zeroed in on these two places,” TDP leader Kambapati Rammohan said.
It may be recalled that when Vaastu of NTR Bhavan, the TDP headquarters in Hyderabad, appeared not good, Balakrishna personally visited NTR Bhavan along with Vaastu pandits and made suitable changes to the party office.
However, Naidu is neither a superstitious person nor an atheist. He occasionally visits Tirumala along with his family. He mixes with devotees and go in the regular queue lines.
Asked about Vaastu changes made to NTR Bhavan last year, Naidu laughed it off and did not give any reply.
Apart from astrology and Vaastu, Balakrishna is also understood to have prompted Naidu to take the advice of film personalities. Accordingly, Naidu held discussions with film writers, leading directors like Raja Mouli and Srinu Vytla. They gave several suggestions to Naidu on how to impress public with body language and modulations. Top lyricists Suddala Ashok Teja, Anata Sriram and others penned six songs to attract masses during Pada yatra of Naidu. Leading music director Vandemataram Srinivas is composing the music for the songs.

Move to mine gold attracts devotees’ ire

By VV Balakrishna / ENS - HYDERABAD

10th September 2012 08:48 AM

The state government is in a unique fix. On the one hand, it seems to be sitting right on top of a gold reserve in Tamballepalle Assembly constituency in Chittoor district, on the other hand, it is unable to mine it or even conduct a survey in the area fearing backlash from people who trudge up the hills every year to a Shiva temple on top.
 If the proposal for mining is cleared, the temple would have to be pulled down, and devotees as well as local leaders are dead set against it.
 With the government undecided, the proposal has been on hold for the last five years.
 According to official sources, Geomysore, a multinational company had applied and obtained prospecting licence to assess the gold deposits in an area of nine square kilometre (2500 hectares approx.
) But Tamballapalle TDP MLA Anipireddy Venkata Praveen Kumar Reddy objected to any kind of assessment saying that the area is a reserve forest.
 He asserted that if gold mining is allowed, the temple and the hill would be destroyed.
 Though officials say that a prospecting licence means that the company would use GIS and carry out searches through helicopter, the TDP MLA claims that the company has been granted permission to dig 20 bore-holes in the area.
 Mines minister Galla Aruna Kumari, who also hails from the same district, is also said to be sympathetic to the devotees’ cause.
 Instead of clearing the file and sending it to the chief minister, she has sent it to the endowments department.
 The move will delay the project even more, which is what the minister reportedly wants.
 Now the endowments department has been asked to assess if mining would affect the temple.
 But the Centre is getting impatient and has begun asking why the project has not been accorded permission even after five years.
 “The Centre wants to speed up the works.
 But, the file is still pending with the minister,” an official said.

Power Cuts Likely to Continue till May

published on 9-9-2012

Intro: APERC allows power discome to impose current level of power cuts till March but discoms say deficit will continue till May



Express News Service



Hyderabad: Power cuts in the state are all set to continue till May, 2013 if one goes by what the distribution companies told the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC).

On Saturday, the APERC issued orders permitting power cuts, with same duration as is being imposed now, till March 2013. The Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL), on behalf of all the four discoms in the state, had submitted a representation to APERC on August 29 to impose restriction on power supply to HT, LT and other consumers. In its request, it also said that the power deficit will continue till May next year.

Though, the APERC said that the power supply restrictions would be reviewed from time to time based on the demand and supply position, if one goes by the statement of the discoms, a relief before May is unlikely.

As of now, the power cuts are for three hours in cities and five hours in towns. Transco sources said that to increase the duration of the cuts, they would have to seek the permission of APERC again..

The APERC has also fixed penal charges for overdrawal of power by consumers. "In view of the shortage scenario and in order to maintain grid discipline and equitable distribution of available power among different consumers, penal charges are approved," the APERC said in its order.

Accordingly, charges for demand in excess of the permitted demand limit (PDL) will be three times that of the normal tariff. Energy charges for anything over the permitted consumption limit (PCL) during off-peak period shall also be thrice the normal tariff. Charges on anything more than PCL during peak period will be five times the normal tariff. The discoms have been permitted to levy these penal charges based on the MRI readings.

The APERC has also imposed some restrictions on usage while directing the discoms not to levy cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge till these restrictions are removed. The discoms have been asked not to allow drawal of power by welding sets during evening peak hours and disconnecting the supply whenever the condition is violated.

The discoms have also been asked to not allow power supply to advertising hoardings and decorative lighting except for festivals organised at public places of worship.

However, SCCL, ports, telegraphs, university, lift irrigation schemes and other essential services have been exempted from power cuts.



Graphic



APERC MOVES

* Power cuts by discoms approved till March, 2013

* No change in duration of power cuts

* Penal charges at the rate of 3 to 5 times the normal tariff in case of overdrawal of power

* No power for hoardings, decorative lighting

* Festivals at public places of worship exempted from power cuts





Projected Power Shortage



Month Daily power deficit (in million units)

September: 38

October: 49

November: 39

December: 31

January: 21

February: 40

March: 79

April: 74

Name in coal scam, Dasari’s reel role becomes real

 VV BALAKRISHNA

Published: 09th Sep 2012 09:52:01 AM

 Dasari Narayana Rao It’s an uncanny connection between reel and real life. Lanchavataram (personification of corruption) is a Telugu movie released in 1985. Film director-turned-politician Dasari Narayana Rao had directed and played the lead role in the hard-hitting movie that consolidated his reputation as one of the best in the business in Tollywood.

Today, almost 27 years later, the same Dasari is getting sucked into the raging coal scam for his role as the union minister of state for coal in UPA-1. Friends of Dasari, particularly those in the film fraternity dismiss rumours and reports circulating in the media about his involvement in the coal scam. Dasari is seen as the godfather of Tollywood and every controversial issue is taken to his notice for resolution.

Born on May 4, 1947 at Palakol in West Godavari district, Dasari first entered Tollywood as a director and went on to don many hats, including that of an actor, lyricist, dialogue writer and screenplay. In all, he has directed 150 movies, a World Record. Besides, he produced 53 films and worked in over 250 as a dialogue writer and lyricist.

When the Telugu film industry moved to Hyderabad from Chennai, Dasari started the long overdue employees union, covering all the sections and sectors in Tollywood. Though he is no longer active in the industry, he is behind the plan to construct a model colony for 5,000 film employees at Hyderabad.

Dasari had also dabbled in journalism at one point and launched Udayam, a Telugu daily. As editor and publisher of Udayam, he ran it successfully for several years and gave Eenadu, the leading daily in Andhra Pradesh, a run for its money. More than that, his thought-provoking editorials earned the paper credibility within a short span of time. Dasari took an active role in electioneering for the Congress. But after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, he felt he was being distanced in the Congress.

However, he was sent to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress in April 2000.

He was a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology and consultative committee member in South Central Railways. In May, 2004 Dasari was made Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines. Later, he became inactive in Congress politics, as he had differences with the then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

Show me the money and the vote, honey

By VV Balakrishna - HYDERABAD:

Published: 02nd Sep 2012 10:29:30 AM

  The Andhra Pradesh government seems to be broke with a budget deficit of Rs 17,784 crore. Yet, populist desperation seems to be prompting the Kiran Reddy government to pay up for former chief minister, the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's schemes which are a major drain on the state.

 YSR’s fee reimbursement scheme for students belonging to the backward classes will cost the state Rs 3,500 crore. Dues amounting to Rs 6,000 crore have piled up so far.

Around 685 private engineering colleges are demanding a hike in tuition fees, which will raise the subsidy amount further.

The state Finance Department has raised objections saying that it cannot bear the additional cost.

“The chief minister wanted to implement the scheme and I could not say no to it,” Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said, implying that he would have to cut somewhere to furnish funds. Kiran Reddy government had paid the dues of around Rs 5,300 crore from 2008 to 2012.

Kiran Reddy, on his “Indiramma Bata” tours of districts has been announcing various schemes in districts, officials do not know where the money will come from.

For the Rajiv Yuava Kiranalu employment training programme for youth, the government earmarked Rs 1,500 crore this year, but hasn’t been able to raise enough funds.

 Schemes which are a major drain on the state are: Arogyasri: This health insurance scheme for BPL families will cost the state government Rs 927 crore.

It will reimburse patients who go to corporate hospitals for treatment.

Rice scheme: The price of the rice reduced from Rs 2 to Re 1 by Kiran Reddy government is costing the exchequer Rs 2,600 crore.

The government is on a drive to weed out bogus household cards so that expenditure can be curtailed.

Jala Yagnam Programme: This massive programme to construct 85 major and minor irrigation projects with an estimated cost of Rs 1.4 lakh crore has failed with the government able to sanction only Rs 4,000 crore yearly.

The unfinished irrigation projects have become dead capital for the government