M A I N   N E W S

Drought, Price Rise
Cong MPs to take 20 pc salary cut
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 19
Fearing that its carefully nurtured “aam admi” image could take a severe beating in this season of elections, the Congress today asked its party MPs and legislators to take a 20 per cent cut in salaries as a symbolic gesture to express solidarity with those affected by the spreading drought in the country.

This suggestion was made by party president Sonia Gandhi at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) called especially to discuss the drought situation in the country, rising prices of essential commodities and its impact on the people.

“All Congress MPs, ministers, MLAs and all those drawing salaries will accept 20 per cent voluntary cut for a year. This money will be donated for drought relief work,” Congress chief spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi told mediapersons after the three-hour meeting, which was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, senior party leaders and chief ministers.

Besides asking party men to take a pay cut, the party president also suggested that they observe austerity measures to reflect their concern and sensitivity for those poor people who were facing difficult drought conditions. “Above all, the way we conduct ourselves both in our private and public life must reflect concern for those who are suffering on account of drought,” said a resolution adopted at the meeting.

The party is clearly worried that the prevailing drought conditions and consequent price rise, which can worsen in the coming months, may affect its electoral prospects in the forthcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh.

Urged by the party to check rising prices of essential commodities, Home Minister P Chidambaram suggested that the Centre be given powers to undertake de-hoarding measures, but there were few takers for the proposal. Opposing the move, Defence Minister AK Antony said the Centre did not have the necessary infrastructure to take on such a mammoth task. Besides, this will encourage state governments to put the onus on the Centre for measures that were under their purview, he added. Chief ministers of Congress-ruled states, who gave details of the steps they were taking to deal with the twin issues of drought and price rise, endorsed Antony’s views.

Accepting that the situation was bad, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the CWC that efforts were underway to deal effectively with the situation. “The country has the capability and the will to tackle these problems,” he said, a view which was seconded by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Move questioned

Although Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s suggestion for salary cut was readily endorsed by members of the party’s working committee, there were a few feeble voices that questioned the move. Veteran party leader Karan Singh said the quantum of a pay cut in the past had always been capped at 10 per cent and recalled that this had been the case during the Bangladesh war. Sonia Gandhi remained firm, saying “then it was about Bangladesh, but today it is about our own country”. Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad felt such a move could create panic in the country. But he was stopped short by Congress president’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, who pointed out that this was not the first time party MPs were taking a salary cut and recounted several occasions in the past when the Congress had taken such a step.

Central team in Bihar to assess situation
Sanjay Singh
Tribune News Service

Patna, August 19
Responding to the state government’s demand, the Centre has sent an 11-member team of officials to Bihar to make a spot assessment of drought conditions there.

The team, led by Joint Secretary in the Union Agriculture Ministry RK Tiwari, arrived here today on a three-day visit. The team comprising representatives of the Planning Commission, the Finance Ministry, the Agriculture and Women and Child Welfare Departments has formed three separate groups for field inspection.

Accompanied by officials of state government’s Disaster Management Department, all three teams have fanned out in the area assigned to them.

On completion of their field visit, the central team will meet the Chief Minister and the top brass of state administration to know their point of view on drought situation. In view of the changed climatic conditions, the state government has decided to put its point before the team through a power-point presentation. The state government has officially declared 26 of its 38 districts as drought-hit and sought a financial assistance of Rs 23,071 crore from the Centre to carry out the relief operations.