Latest news with #Ch.BabuRao
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
CPI(M) demands house pattas for people living near Krishna riverbank
People living near the Krishna river embankment at Ranadive Nagar, Bhupesh Gupta Nagar, Ramalingeswara Nagar, Taraka Ramanagar in Vijayawada should be issued 'pattas' immediately, said CPI (M) leaders. Staging a demonstration during the Public Grievance Redressal System (PGRS) at the Collectorate in the city on Monday, CPI(M) State committee member Donepudi Kasinath thanked the local people for their decades-long fight due to which their dream of building a retaining wall was realised last year. When there is a retaining wall which will protect these areas from getting flooded in future, why should the government delay in issuing pattas, he questioned. CPI(M) State secretariat member Ch. Babu Rao said that while the government is quick to allot land for big companies to establish malls, it, however, drags its feet when it comes to issuing pattas to poor people.
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
CPI (M) opposes government's move to allot RTC land to Lulu Group
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly opposed the Andhra Pradesh government's proposal to hand over the valuable RTC land in Vijayawada's old bus stand area to the multinational Lulu Group for the construction of a shopping mall. CPI (M) State secretariat member Ch. Babu Rao termed the move 'highly condemnable' and urged the government to immediately withdraw the plan. Addressing a press conference in Sattenapalli of Palnadu district on the occasion of the party's Palnadu district-wide meeting, Mr. Babu Rao criticized the government's proposal to allot RTC land worth over ₹400 crore to the Lulu Group. He described it as a blow to the interests of the public and the RTC, which plays a crucial role in providing affordable transport to the common people. The CPI (M) emphasized that instead of weakening the RTC, the government should be focusing on strengthening the public transport corporation by offering financial support and infrastructure development. Mr. Babu Rao condemned the coalition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's policy of transferring valuable public assets to big corporations under the pretext of development, stating that such actions jeopardize public services. The proposed site for the mall already houses two RTC depots and plays a vital role in public transportation. Transferring this land to Lulu Group for a mall would not only disrupt RTC operations but also severely impact public transit in the region. At a time when the government is acquiring land from private individuals for metro and other mass transport projects, handing over government-owned RTC land to private companies is unjust, he said. Mr. Babu Rao accused the ruling coalition of surrendering to the interests of multinational giants by weakening public sector enterprises. He cited examples of large corporations like Reliance, Metro, D-Mart, and Walmart entering the retail sector and displacing small and medium traders. Such developments have led to the closure of numerous small businesses and the loss of livelihoods, he said. The CPI (M) leader urged the government to reconsider its decision and instead use the valuable RTC land for public transport and people-oriented infrastructure. 'If the government proceeds with allocating RTC land to Lulu Group, the CPI (M) will launch a strong public movement in collaboration with city residents,' he warned. 'Let us protect RTC, let us protect small and medium traders.' Mr. Babu Rao concluded by affirming the CPI (M)'s commitment to defending public assets and supporting local enterprises, demanding that the government abandon its pro-corporate agenda in favour of a more inclusive and equitable development model.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mass protest in Vijayawada against smart power meters and tariff hikes
A massive protest led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) erupted in Vijayawada on Friday against the installation of smart electricity meters and a steep increase in power tariffs. The CPI(M) activists gathered at the CPDCL headquarters, demanding the rollback of what they termed as 'corporate-driven reforms' that burden consumers. Addressing the gathering, CPI(M) leaders Ch. Babu Rao and D. Kasinath accused the ruling TDP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of betraying public trust by imposing ₹15,485 crore worth of adjustment charges within a year of coming to power, despite promises to reduce electricity costs. Protesters also denounced the forcible installation of smart meters, linking them to corporate interests, particularly Adani. Mr. Babu Rao said: 'Over 50,000 petitions were submitted to CPDCL officials, who initially hesitated to receive them.' The petitions were collected from the public during the party's door to door campaign and padayatras. The protesters, including many women, displayed the petitions symbolically and raised slogans condemning the government's silence and double standards, he said, adding, the TDP, Jana Sena, and BJP, who had once opposed smart meters and filed court cases against them, are now enforcing them silently. The CPIM leaders warned that smart meters, controlled remotely by private firms, would lead to inflated bills and 24/7 surveillance, calling them 'Adani bombs in every household.' They claimed that two crore existing meters were being replaced with prepaid smart meters, shifting financial burdens to the public while giving discounted rates to large corporations. The CPI(M) vowed to escalate the agitation state-wide if the government failed to reverse its decisions. 'If they tamper with the people's electricity, they will lose their political power,' said Babu Rao, invoking the memory of the 2000 electricity movement. The protest ended with a call for public resistance and street-level action across Andhra Pradesh.
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Municipal engineering workers' protest for wage hike enters fourth day
The indefinite strike by the municipal engineering employees working in various departments entered fourth day on June 28. The employees are demanding a wage hike and implementation of welfare schemes. Municipal engineering workers engaged in parks, town planning, street lighting, and computer operators and vehicle depot mechanics participated in the strike, organised by the Municipal Corporation Workers and Employees Union, affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU), at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on June 28 (Saturday). Addressing the protesting workers, CPI (M) leader Ch. Babu Rao criticised the TDP-led NDA government in the State for failing to address the concerns of municipal workers. 'The prices of essential goods, electricity charges and taxes are increasing, but wages for these employees remains the same,' Mr. Babu Rao said. He demanded to know how many times the salaries of MLAs and Ministers were increased. 'Everyone wants drinking water, street lights and likes to see the greenery enhanced in parks. But the government does not care about those who ensure that these facilities are being provided,' Mr. Babu Rao said, adding that to the government, the plants in the park seem to be more important than the lives of these workers who take care of them. The protesting employees also alleged that many government welfare schemes remained elusive to them. They are not eligible for schemes such as Thalliki Vandanam, social pension, pension for differently abled, they said while adding that they do not have exemption from electricity charges too. The Union president Donepudi Kasinath said that the government should follow Government Order 36, issued during the previous regime, and increase the employees' honorarium to anywhere between ₹21,000 and ₹24,000 per month.
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
CPI(M) opposes installation of smart prepaid meters by Adani Transmission Step Seven in A.P.
CPI(M) State secretariat member Ch. Babu Rao and State committee member D. Kasinath on Sunday strongly opposed the installation of smart prepaid meters for LT1 domestic electricity connections in Andhra Pradesh. The CPI(M) leaders said that the AP Central DISCOM (CPDCL) has already given the go-ahead to Adani Transmission Step Seven Limited to start installing the devices in selected subdivisions in AMRUT cities. Mr. Rao at a press conference here released a copy of the letter written by CPDCL Chief General Manager (Projects) K. Linga Murthy to Adani Transmission Step Seven Limited regarding the installation of the smart meters under the Revised Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Mr. Rao termed it a 'gift' by the NDA government to the people on the occasion of completion of its first year in power and that the plan was to install the equipment in 4.10 million homes across the State in a phased manner. He said the stage has been set for exploitation of the people, and noted that by paving the way for installation of smart meters, the TDP, which had vehemently opposed the scheme in the past, has now betrayed the public by giving the installation a green signal. In the CPDCL jurisdiction, 10,28,000 homes in major cities and towns of Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts have been targeted. The CPI(M) leader said that the YSR Congress Party government had signed agreements for the installation of smart meters under pressure from the Centre and now the coalition government is following suit, adding that, 'the BJP, TDP and JSP were all complicit in the matter'. The installation of smart meters entailed a huge burden of nearly ₹25,000 crore on the public, and each device is costing ₹13,000. The NDA government has already imposed four types of adjustment charges, which resulted in a burden of approximately ₹15,485 crore on the people in the last nine months, Mr. Rao said adding that 'the smart meter plan included the collection of monthly rental charges ranging from ₹100 to ₹200 from each consumer for approximately seven-and-half-years.
