Cabinet expansion will be done shortly: CM

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday confirmed that he would soon reshuffle and expand his council of ministers.

Talking to media persons after cutting a cake on his 50th birthday, the Chief Minister said that the cabinet expansion would be done 'shortly'. Diplomatically he avoided further questions on the issue by saying, "Without informing you, no expansion will be affected." He also denied have any difference with the PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana. Instead, he asserted that there was good coordination between them. Ridiculing the media reports, he said that some newspapers have lot of space to publish such stories.

Regarding DSC 2008 teachers' apprentice programme, the Chief Minister reiterated that the from the next recruitment there would be no such apprentice for the teachers and they would get regular pay. However, he justified the increase in the Value Added Tax on the grounds that the Centre has increased one percent levy on VAT causing a loss of Rs 2,000 Crore to the State's exchequer. He said although the increase in VAT has burdened the common man, but it was inevitable. "No other state in the country has so many welfare schemes as in Andhra Pradesh and lot of amount goes into that. Therefore, we need to take some hard decision to bring financial discipline," he said.

Kiran Kumar Reddy listed out various welfare schemes which required lot of funds. He said more such schemes would be launched soon. Claiming that he had streamlined the finance department, he said a green channel has been introduced which would facilitate sanction or release of funds instantly without delay by the heads of departments.

The Chief Minister also ruled a hike in power tariff. Further, he assured that the faulty pump-sets or meters would be replaced soon. Efforts would also be made to save power, besides checking pilferages. He assured that the farmers would be given free supply of power for seven hours.