The Hindu Business Line : Rajasekhara Reddy rules out possibility of early polls

Hyderabad, July 2 Amidst speculation that the CPI (M) might snap ties with the UPA Government over the nuclear deal issue, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, has ruled out mid-term polls to the State Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha. “There will not be any election before March 2009,” he said.

Addressing the District Collectors’ conference here on Wednesday at Jubilee Hall, he asked the Collectors not to get influenced by media reports that mid-term polls would held in the next few months. "Don’t delay developmental works thinking that there would be elections any moment,” he told them.

He said there was no anti-incumbency wave in the State as the Government implemented several welfare schemes.

He, however, directed them to complete the allotment of house-sites to the beneficiaries in the phase-III of Indiramma housing scheme. “I know there could be problems in completing the houses. But you should complete the allotment of the sites by September,” he said.

Universal health scheme

Referring to the health insurance scheme the State introduced, he said the Rajiv Arogya Sri, which gave a coverage of up to Rs 2 lakh in hospital costs for the white-card holders, would be extended to the entire State from July 2008.

“Ms Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson of the UPA’s National Advisory Council, would inaugurate Total Health for Everyone on July 17 in Prakasam district,” he said.

Currently, the scheme covered 13 districts. Beginning July 17, it would be cover the remaining districts.

The Government was also working on ‘104’ programme that would cover the villages and habitats that did not have a primary health centre within a radius of three kilometres. “The mobile health service would conduct routine tests for hypertension and diabetes and give medicines,” he said.

Growth

Stating that the State ensured transparent governance, he said the Government surpassed the national average in growth rate. “We could achieve 10.67 per cent GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) as against the national GDP growth rate of 8.7 per cent. In the nine years of Telugu Desam Government, the GSDP was just half of the national average,” he said.

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Rajasekhara Reddy rules out possibility of early polls