Andhra Pradesh ministers, MLAs get funds for fresh furniture

Opposition parties and civil society activists describe the scheme as an attempt to mollify ministers whose residences and offices had been targeted during the agitation.

Kiran Kumar Reddy, the third chief minister to have ascended to the seat two years after the Congress’s re-election in the state, seems desperate to hold it together and his move has been widely seen as a way of reaching out to rebellious ministers and MLAs.

Grants worth Rs 3 lakh have been sanctioned to selected VIPs, including ministers, to refurbish furniture and a further lakh and a half has been sanctioned as one-time payment for new cutlery, crockery and other furnishings. The chief minister’s office has finally cleared important files, piled up during the 42-day agitation, on Thursday. Proposals to hike salaries of some of the most important officials of the police departments such as intelligence, CID and Law &Order have also been cleared in acknowledgement  of their services during the agitation.

According to orders issued to the general administrative department, those holding positions equivalent to the minister and in various capacities in the state government are eligible for the perks.

Cong core group discusses Telangana

New Delhi, dhns: The core group of the Congress met here to discuss the issues of separate Telangana state and electoral reforms. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Anthony, Home Minister P Chidambaram and senior party leader Ahmed Patel attended the meeting at the residence of the prime minister. The outcome of the  meeting was not immediately made available.