Create a separate corporation for Naxal-hit areas’ says BJP MLA Papareddy

Saturday April 30 2005 13:23 IST

RAICHUR: The State Government should constitute a separate corporation to take up welfare programmes for the people residing in Naxal-prone areas, BJP MLA A. Papareddy said on Friday.

He told media persons here that such a step would help prevent Naxals from taking advantage of the socio-economic imbalance and attracting youths into their fold.

Describing the recent meeting on Naxalism in Bangalore as a mere eyewash, he said there was no seriousness on the part of the Government to tackle the menace. Union Home Minister Shivaraj Patil -who headed the meeting -was in a hurry and did not pay heed to the views of the participants, he alleged.

‘‘The supporters of the Naxal movement disturbed the meeting right at the start by distributing handouts against the BJP. The meeting lasted for only fifteen minutes and hence the legislators from the Naxal-prone areas could not present their views and woes,’’ he charged.

Pointing out that the successive governments had not distributed lands to the landless poor in the region, he said most of the villages were facing acute drinking water problem.

‘‘Even now the government has not come forward to solve the water problem. In my constituency, 52 villages have only three high schools and only one hostel. In the name of border area development the government releases a meagre amount of Rs 5 lakhs to the district which would be distributed among Raichur and Manvi taluks.’’

He demanded that the Government sanction at least Rs 50 lakhs for development every year.

Expressing concern over the ‘‘thriving illicit liquor business in Raichur’’, Papareddy said while the State Government considered hooch deaths near Bangalore as serious, it was not using the same yardstrick for this region.

He warned of an agitation if the Government failed to take serious steps to curb illicit toddy manufacturing using dangerous chemicals. On VAT, the BJP MLA said the State Government should refrain from modifying the system. ‘‘In order to maintain uniformity, the state should implement whatever the Central Government has suggested.’’

NAXAL TERROR WATCH