Rachabanda fails to take off in some T districts

ADILABAD/KARIMNAGAR/WARANGAL: Notwithstanding the directions of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the second phase of Rachabanda programme did not take off in Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal districts in Telangana region on Wednesday.In Adilabad and some other districts, the collectors organised the programme despite absence of the district and in-charge ministers and distributed social welfare benefits to the poor.As per schedule, the second phase of Rachabanda programme should be organised in all the districts of the state from November 2 to 30. But the officials of Karimnagar and Warangal have postponed the programme by a week.The programme is likely to be launched in Nizamabad district on November 4. It was alleged that the Rachabanda programme was postponed in some districts as the in-charge ministers wanted to avoid confrontation with Telangana activists.In Karimnagar, the officials said the programme was deferred as per the instructions of ministers D Sridhar Babu and M Mukesh Goud. This was due to delay in issuing the eligibility certificates to the disabled. “Without the certificates, we cannot sanction pensions for the physically challenged. Hence, it has been decided to postpone the programme,” said DRO Balaji Ranjit Prasad.The Warangal district authorities postponed the programme citing busy schedule of the ministers. Interestingly, Basavaraju Saraiah who is the district minister of Warangal and in-charge minister of Adilabad, skipped the programme at both the places. While minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah is abroad, in-charge minister DK Aruna was busy participating in the programme in her native district Mahabubnagar. Similar situation prevailed in Nizamabad as district minister P Sudarshan Reddy and in-charge minister P Sabita Indra Reddy stayed away from the programme forcing officials to postpone it. Both the TDP and TRS cadres have threatened to disrupt the programme. Ironically, Congress legislators and MPs did not participate in the programme in T to ensure its success.Unlike the first phase which was held in villages, the district officials have decided to organise the second phase in mandal and constituency headquarters.