Over smart realtors create artificial hike

  Ever since AP CM hints that he prefers to build the new capital city between Vijayawada-Guntur cities, the realty business in the surrounding areas triggered and there was sudden and steep rise in the land costs. Though, one may relate the increase to demand and supply formula, actually some realtors, politicians, big businessmen are behind this steep rise.   Those, realtors, politicians and businessmen, who already acquired hundreds of acres of lands are said to be artificially creating this hike by registering the sale agreements of a small piece of their lands with market price, which is four or five times to the government rate. Then, it will become the market price of the land. In case if the same land is sold, they will register them with market price but collects the market price in black. As a result government is losing huge revenue.   There is another intention also behind this idea. Since, government is planning to build the new capital between Vijayawada-Guntur cities and there is scarcity for the government lands, government has to acquire private lands from these realtors and politicians only. According to the new land Acquisition act, if government plans to acquire land, it has to pay highest market price of that piece of land. So, are these money hungry and greedy realtors and politicians are registering a small of piece of their vast lands with market prices. Though, Deputy CM KE Krishna Murthy warns them of taking severe action, still this practice is said to be continuing in the VGTM areas.

మహారాష్ట్ర మంత్రి రాణే రాజీనామా

  మహారాష్ట్ర మంత్రివర్గంలో ఒక వికెట్ పడింది. మహారాష్ట్ర ముఖ్యమంత్రి రాజీనామా చేయాలని గత కొంతకాలంగా రాజీనామా చేస్తూ ప్రభుత్వంలో అసమ్మతి నాయకుడిగా మారిన మంత్రి నారాయణ్ రాణే రాజీనామా చేశారు. తాను మంత్రి పదవికి రాజీనామా చేస్తున్నాను తప్పితే, కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీని విడిచిపెట్టేదే లేదని రాణే చెబుతున్నారు. తనకు పక్కలో బల్లెంలా మారిన రాణేని పృథ్విరాజ్ చౌహాన్ వ్యూహాత్మకంగా మంత్రివర్గం నుంచి తానే తొలగిపోయేలా చేశారన్న అభిప్రాయాలు వినిపిస్తున్నాయి. నిన్న మొన్నటి వరకు పృథ్విరాజ్ చౌహాన్‌ని ముఖ్యమంత్రి సీటు నుంచి తప్పించి రాణేని ముఖ్యమంత్రి చేస్తారన్న వార్తలు వినిపించాయి. అయితే ఇప్పుడు రాణేనే మంత్రి పదవిని వదలాల్సి వచ్చింది. దీనినే రాజకీయం అంటారేమో!

Decisions Reflecting

  Some recent decisions taken by AP and Telangana governments’ are directly reflecting on each other. AP Government’s decision to increase the retirement age limit of the state government employees from present 58 to 60 years, had its effect on Telangana state government employees. They demand the T-Government to implement the same for them also, but T-CM KCR has promptly rejected.   Then, T-Government’s decision to regularize all the contract employees working in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) encourages the contract employees of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to demand the AP government to implement the same policy for them.   GVMC Employees and Workers Welfare Association honorary president M Ananda Rao, speaking to media at Vizag said “There are around 6550 contract employees working in GHMC for last several years. However, none of them are entitled to have any benefits declared by the government. Therefore, I take this matter to CM Chandrababu Naidu’s notice few days ago and appealed him to regularize all the contract employees by filling up the large number of vacancies existing in GVMC. We are still waiting for the response from the government.”   The number of contract employees working under GVMC or any other state government department is a clear indication for that much number of employees are required for a smooth running of the systems. So, in other words it can be considered as vacancies to be filled, but the departments are running the show with the contract employees because of lack of sufficient funds or many other reasons. Hence, the contract employees demand for regularizing the jobs can be justified.

Land Acquisition act becomes hurdle

  The new Land Acuquisition act 2014 approved by the parliament during previous UPA government regime has becomes now a major hurdle in acquiring the lands for building the new capital city and for other infrastructure development activities for the AP government. According to the new act, government has to go through a very lengthy process to acquire the lands from private persons and the farmers that may take not less than a couple of years. Moreover there are several clauses that guarantee job opportunities, price equivalent to current market prices, legal rights, very attractive compensation etc. There is also lengthy process created in the new act for taking consent of the land owners.   So, Andhra Pradesh government which needs huge lands for building the new capital city and for developing the infrastructure facilities finds this new act very hard to implement. So, the state government is planning to utilize the available government lands first instead of going for private land acquisition. This will also eases the financial burden on the state government.   So, Deputy Chief Minister KE Krishna Murthy asked all the districts collectors to submit reports on available government lands, assigned lands and other lands that can be utilized for building the new capital and infrastructure development.   Simultaneously, the state government is also writing a letter to Centre appealing for relaxation in the new Land Acquisition (RR) Act. Probably, NDA government may consider its request because, it may receive the same kind of requests from other state governments also in the coming days, as it is planning for various development activities in a very large scale all over the country. In case, if the NDA government is averse to change the new Land Acquisition (RR) Act, then the state government has to plan its development activities utilizing the available government lands in the state.

Jagan turns silent spectator on fees reimbursement?

  Jagan turns silent spectator on fees reimbursement? There was a time when YSR Congress party pitched for a fight with the then AP Government on students’ fees reimbursement issue. His party staged state wide rallies and dharnas on this issue. Jagan himself sat for a week long dharna at Indira Park in Hyderabad demanding the then government to reimburse the students’ fee immediately. But, now he or his party men are not talking about this issue, probably because Telangana CM KCR, with whom he has good relations is not willing to reimbursing the fee to AP students and he don’t want to spoil his relations with KCR. However, Jagan can mediate with Telangana Chief Minister KCR taking advantage of his good relations with him. He can try to convince him to settle this issue amicably with his counterpart Chandrababu Naidu, so as to help thousands of students in both states.   He is aware that AP government alone couldn’t proceed ahead on this issue as it needs the coordination from Telangana government to address this problem. Because of this stalemate between two governments, thousands of students’ studies are hanging in the air. However Jagan, who once fought on this issue prefers to remain a silent spectator. He often says that he is ready to fight with government on behalf of the people, but he means it is not on this fees reimbursement issue. This reveals where his interests lies. He is very desperate to take revenge on TDP and its president Chandrababu for defeating him in the elections. Instead of negotiating with T CM KCR over fees reimbursement, he threatens AP CM Chandrababu Naidu that if his government fails to waive off all the loans within one month period he will start agitation with people.

Government is doing spade work on Black Money issue: FM

  Government is doing spade work on Black Money issue: FM Finance Minister Arun Jaitly replying to a fellow party MP Aurag Thakur’s question raised in the Loksabha yesterday, said “Government is already communicated with Swiss Bank authorities and trying to get the details of the persons, who illegally dumped black money in it. A special investigation team-SIT constituted for this purpose is looking for all possible ways to bring back the black money. Government has already initiated proceedings against those identified in these cases."   "The process of getting the information about the money dumped in the foreign banks and the names of the account holders is very complicated because of foreign banks and countries rules, regulations and policies. It may take a while, but we will not rest until the money is brought back to country and punish the tax evaders,” said Finance Minister.   He also revealed that there are some Indians legally maintaining accounts in these foreign banks. So, the government has to differentiate between legal and illegal accounts. SIT is working on all these issues simultaneously. Various studies reveal that there is around $462 billion to $1.4 trillion black money dumped in these foreign banks by Indian politicians, industrialists, businessmen and many others.   The amount is very tempting for any government, but there are several hurdles to be crossed to lay the hands on the dump. Unless, the government is really honest with its efforts, it is highly impossible to reach that point.

AP to appeal RBI for extension of crop loans reschedule

   Responding to RBI’s letter over rescheduling the crop loans, AP government decides to write a letter to RBI requesting to extend the reschedule period from 3 years to 7 years so as the government will be able to repay the loans to bankers. The government also is going to appeal the RBI to consider rescheduling the gold loans taken for agricultural purposes during last Rabi session.   RBI identified that total 572 mandals out of 660 were either hit by draught or Phailin cyclone. The farmers in these affected areas have taken Rs. 20,500 crore including Rs 10,000 crores of gold loans. RBI formally agrees to reschedule only crop loans taken during kharif season of 2013-14, but not the loans outside this period and also to the gold loans. But, state government doesn’t expect this kind of proposal from RBI. Hence, it is writing a letter to RBI for a reschedule of entire crop loans and gold loans as well, otherwise it urgently needs Rs.11,000 crore to clear the gold loans to let the farmers get fresh loans. AP   Government is planning fixing the sealing limit for the loan waiver at Rs.1.5 lakhs for crop loans and Rs.50000 for gold loans. This will reduce the burden on the state government around Rs. 12,000 crores, estimates Finance Ministry.   Finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said the government is committed on its loan waiver promise and leaving no stone left unturned to uphold its promise. He expressed quite confident to repay the crop loans and also can balance the state budget. Hence, it appears with the developments that the crop loans waiver issue may take a few more days’ time to resolve.

Chandrababu appeals MLA for a team work

  During the ongoing MLAs training program being conducted at Kakateeya Grand Hotel in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu appeals all the newly elected MLAs, irrespective of the parties and policies to join hands with him for the development of the state. He said collective efforts by all the elected representatives ensure speedy development of the state.   He suggest them all to uphold their and the house dignity while participating in the discussions in the Assembly. He said that people rather prefer to watch a movie or even a commercial advertisement repeatedly, but not the Assembly proceedings, because they are not happy with the way their elected representatives are behaving in the house, said Chandrababu.   He told them "Youth are reluctant to take up the politics as their profession, because they believe it is a very disgraceful one. They won’t mind to settle for a teacher or some other small job, but no one is willing to join politics. This is clearly revealing that what the people are thinking about us and what is our position in their view. So, all of us always uphold the dignity and serve the people whole heartedly,” said Chandrababu to newly elected MLAs.   Union Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Assembly Speaker Kodela Shiva Prasada rao, Deputy Speaker M Buddha Prasad, Legislative Counsel Chairman Chakrapani and some others have joined Chandrababu in training the MLAs.