Don’t let power go to your heads

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday cautioned the ministers that they should not allow power to get to their heads. The unprecedented victory should make everyone humbler. He strictly told them not to poke their nose in the implementation of the sand policy and earn a bad name for themselves and the government.

Naidu said the YSRCP leaders had turned into mafia gangs and have seen how people have reacted. The ministers and MLAs should keep this in mind and should serve the people and not get involved in other issues.

Speaking to the ministers on the sidelines of the cabinet meeting, Naidu told the ministers that when they come up with proposals related to their departments, they should keep in mind that they had inherited a deficit budget. He asked them to review the performance of their respective departments once a month and explain to the people the ground realities.

“Administration has to be people oriented and governance should be transparent,” he said. He emphasised on proper coordination between ministers and MLAs. He further informed them that the state Assembly would meet for five days from July 22. Naidu also said that a three-member committee to implement crop insurance scheme would be constituted.

Minister for Civil Supplies Nadendla Manhohar explained how Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar and his family had indulged in rice scam. He said MLA’s father was the Chairman of civil supplies corporation, his other son was chairman of rice millers’ association and the trio together used to recycle rice and export it at Rs 43 a kg. Manohar said that this issue needs a thorough probe. Naidu asked him to come up with recommendations on what kind of probe should be ordered.

Earlier, the cabinet endorsed the decision to abolish the Land Titling Act introduced by the YSRCP government.

According to I&PR Minister K Parthasaradhi the cabinet approved the free sand policy to give a fillip to the construction sector.

Regarding paddy procurement, he said the cabinet approved the proposal to take Rs 2,000 crore bank loans for the purpose. He said the previous government failed to clear the rabi paddy purchase dues of Rs 1,600 crore to farmers even after 90 days. The TDP-led alliance government had released Rs 1,000 crore to clear farmers’ dues. He said the cabinet also gave its nod to the government giving surety to take a loan of Rs 3,000 crore to pay to farmers during the next kharif season.

The minister said the cabinet discussed the plight of tenant farmers and decided to make efforts to release more loans to them. He said the government was also examining the issue of tenant farmers’ cards. The cabinet congratulated the farmers and officials for bagging an international award for natural farming.