TDP MLAs,MLCs to forego 3 months pay for drought relief

Telugu Desam Party MLAs,including Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu,on Friday,announced in the state assembly...

Telugu Desam Party MLAs,including Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu,on Friday,announced in the state assembly that party MLAs and Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) would donate their salary for three months for drought relief works.

The announcement was made after Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Friday appealed to all MLAs to accept a salary cut so that more funds could be given for drought works.

The CM sought support from MLAs and MLCs to accept a 20 per cent salary cut for a year as an austerity measure in view of the drought. He further stated that Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi had suggested that the government contribute to such measures.

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Naidu,for his part,suggested that the scope of NREGS be expanded to carry out work in the fields,with the government bearing 50 per cent of the wage cost of the farmer. He said the government should also provide inputs subsidy and a waiver of school and college fees,as well as a waiver on fodder. Besides this,he suggested the implementation of the M S Swaminathan Commission report.

The House was adjourned for 15 minutes on Friday morning when the TDP members trooped in clutching straws of withered crops and stalled the proceedings demanding that they be allowed to seek clarifications from the Chief Minister.