Staff Reporter
Unveils ex-Chief Minister T.Anjaiah's statue
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy reiterated that the State Government is committed to keeping its promise of providing shelter to the poor in the next three years.
He was addressing an impressive gathering of Congress workers, leaders and a large turnout of poor people after unveiling the statue of former Chief Minister T. Anjaiah at Lumbini Park on Wednesday.
Recalling the services of Anjaiah to the poor, Dr. Reddy said Anjaiah had striven sincerely to fulfil Indira Gandhi's call for `Garibi Hatao.' This Government too was pursuing the same objective under the guidance of Sonia Gandhi. "We are keeping each and every promise given to the electorate," he said and added that under Indiramma programme, houses and pensions were being sanctioned for the poor.
12 lakh houses
Some 12 lakh houses were constructed for the poor in the last two years and in the next three years at least 18 to 20 lakh houses would be constructed. After the Congress returned to power, nine lakh additional pensions were sanctioned and the amount was increased from Rs.75 to Rs.200, he said.
The efforts to install the statue of Anjaiah bore fruit after 20 years and when T. Manemma Anjaiah and MLA P. Janardhan Reddy selected the site at Lumbini Park for the statue, it was finalised as the appropriate choice. It was under the tenure of Anjaiah that the Buddha Purnima Project Authority was conceptualised, he recalled.
Dr.Rajasekhara Reddy said the park was also renamed as T. Anjaiah Lumbini Park as a tribute to the leader who always had interest of the poor in his heart.
Chief guest and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said Anjaiah grew from a six `anna' worker to the level of Union Minister and Chief Minister but he had always maintained close relations with the workforce.
Reiterating that the Congress always worked for the welfare of poor, he said it was always the Congress Government, which sanctioned land and pensions to the poor.
The UPA and State Governments were working for strengthening the public distribution system and controlling the price rise, he said.
Khairatabad P.Janardhan Reddy presided over the meeting. Ministers Koneru Ranga Rao, Mohd. Ali Shabbir, HUDA Chairman D. Sudheer Reddy, MLA M. Shashidhar Reddy, MP Anjan Kumar Yadav and others spoke.
Published - August 17, 2006 12:00 am IST