Loksatta Guarantee: 1000 SMALL TOWNS in Andhra Pradesh

Large numbers of people are migrating to big cities in search of employment and basic amenities/facilities such as hospitals and quality schools.
On an average 5000 people per day migrate to cities in our state, and a large number of them end up in slums.
Due to the absence of basic infrastructure in rural areas, villagers are forced to commute to distant cities for even the smallest problems.
In order to address these problems Lok Satta government will develop 1000 small towns, which will result in integration of rural areas with urban economy. Migration to urban areas will be prevented by creating modern facilities, employment opportunities, and good living conditions in the rural areas.

16) Small Towns will be Developed

• A town within a radius of 10 km of every village will be developed by Lok Satta
  government with all necessary infrastructure at a cost of Rs. 25 crores.

17) Urban Amenities in Rural Areas

• Lok Satta government guarantees access to quality urban amenities and services to all villages.

Loksatta Guarantee: ‘Surajya’ in Towns and Cities

In our cities, basic amenities, such as clean drinking water, proper sanitation, roads and
other public services, are in decrepit condition.
Absence of quality public transport, traffic problems, land grabbing, settlements, illegal constructions, theft, and kidnappings have ruined city life.
Lok Satta party will focus on these problems and usher-in good urban governance.

12)Guaranteed Civic Amenities
To ensure quality living conditions Lok Satta government will guarantee:

• Clean and safe water supply (you will not need to depend on water bottles from private
  suppliers).
• Stress-Free public transport (public transport as convenient as private vehicles, and far
  more affordable)
• Quality Sanitation (no more heaps of garbage and contaminated water)
• Ward government for local services (people will not have to run around government
  offices)
• Citizen Charter for all public services (accessing services without becoming a victim of
  corrupt practices)

All Municipalities and Corporations will get an additional Rs 1000 per-capita every year.
For a population of 1 lakh, the municipality will receive Rs. 10 crores as an additional
grant.
Similarly, for a population of 10 lakhs, the corporation will receive 100 crores as
an additional grant.

13) Establishing Ward Governments

• Lok Satta government will guarantee an elected ward government will be created for
  every ward. Rs. 500 per capita will be granted by the Lok Satta Government to each ward
  government to immediately address the needs of people.

14) Quality Public Transport

• Lok Satta government will guarantee a dependable and efficient public transport
  system.

15) Lok Satta Party’s ‘Bharosa’ for Lowering Crime

• Lok Satta government will guarantee rigorous measures to combat crimes such as theft,
  robberies, and kidnapping. Lok Satta government promises safe cities for all
• Lok Satta Government will operationalise Community policing
  

Loksatta Guarantee : Government at Our Doorstep

Many districts in Andhra Pradesh are bigger than nearly 100 countries in the world.
There is no reason why people in a district should come to Hyderabad to get their
problems solved.
This negates the very notion of self-governance.
In order to bring governance closer to people, every district will have a District Government with all necessary powers.
All local governments will be empowered with funds, functions and functionaries.
Lok Satta government will bring in an institutional revolution by ensuring a Citizen centered governance process that will establish the link between taxes and services.

1) Elected District Governments

• Lok Satta government will guarantee the establishment of a directly elected District
  Government for each district of the State.

2) Empowered Local Governments

• Lok Satta Government will guarantee the empowerment of district governments,
  panchayats and municipalities with full decision-making and implementation powers on
  subjects that fall within their purview.

3) Substantial Funds for District Governments

• Lok Satta Government will guarantee that 50 % of the State’s annual planned budget
  will be transferred to district governments.

4) Public Participation in Governance

• Lok Satta government will guarantee that people will be direct participants in the
  functioning of the local governments.

70 percent of our population lives in villages, and many of these citizens do not have
access to basic amenities, such as clean drinking water.
Absence of basic infrastructure and minimal delivery of services have made living conditions miserable.
To compound this misery, corruption, nepotism, and favoritism are preventing common people from reaping the benefits of various government programmes.
Lok Satta government will take concrete steps and measures to create basic amenities and proper living conditions for all.

5) Funds for Villages

• Lok Satta government will guarantee funding of Rs 1000 per-capita per year for
  developmental activities to every Panchayat (this is in addition to existing funding).

6) Safe Drinking Water for Every Village

• Lok Satta government guarantees establishment of water treatment plants in all villages
  to ensure clean and protected water supply.

7) ‘Jala Raksha’ - Combating the Menace of Contaminated Water

• Reverse-Osmosis and De-Mineralization plants will be established in all villages that are
  suffering from high fluoride and excessive salt content in water.

8) 24 hour power to every village

• Lok Satta government will guarantee continuous, uninterrupted 24 hour power supply to
  all villages.

9) No more Public Defecation

• Lok Satta government will guarantee a toilet with a septic tank to every house.

10) Villages Connected by Roads

• Lok Satta government will guarantee high quality all weather roads connecting villages
  to nearby towns.

11) Bus Service to Every Village

• Bus services to every village will be operationalised by Lok Satta government.

Complete list of Loksatta Party's 50 Irrevocable Guarantees

Government at Our Doorstep

1) Elected District Governments
2) Empowered Local Governments
3) Substantial Funds for District Governments
4) Public Participation in Governance

Gram Swarajya

5) Funds for Villages
6) Safe Drinking Water for Every Village
7) 'Jala Raksha'
8) hour power to every village
9) No more Public Defecation
10) Villages Connected by Roads
11) Bus Service to Every Village

'Surajya' in Towns and Cities

12) Guaranteed Civic Amenities
13) Establishing Ward Governments
14) Quality Public Transport
15) 'Bharosa' for Lowering Crime

1000 SMALL TOWNS in Andhra Pradesh

16) Small Towns will be Developed
17) Urban Amenities in Rural Areas

Education

18) Quality Education for All
19) Modern Facilities for All Schools
20) Teachers to Become Stakeholders
21) Higher Education for Everyone

22) Ten Percent Bonus Marks for Students from Rural Areas and Poorer Sections

Skills and Employment for Youth

Guidance for Youth

23) Provisions for Employment
24) Employment Opportunities in Government
25) Development Brigade

Health for All

26) Quality Health Services
27) Free and Universal Health Care to All (Aarogyaraksha)
28) Public .Private Partnership in Health Services (Ubhayatarakam)

Agriculture

29) Quality Power Supply to Farmers
30) Agri-Clinics . Prosperity to Farmers ('Rytusiri')
31) 'Akshaya' . Credit to Farmers and Tenants
32) Farmer Controlled Market Yards ('Rythe Raju')
33) Agro-Industries to Guarantee Crop Prices

Rigorous Liquor Control

34) Ban on Private Liquor Shops
35) Removing Belt-Shops
36) Ban on Public Liquor Consumption
37) Powers to Panchayat

JUSTICE FOR ALL

38) Police for Public Service
39) Speedy and Accessible Justice

Combating Corruption

40) Special Courts to Combat Corruption
41) Transparency and Accountability
42) Social Security for All
43) Social Security for one Crore Families
44) Security for Vulnerable Sections

Abolishing Caste

45) Abolishing Caste within One Generation

Reforming the Functioning of State Legislature

46) Standing Committees
47) Reforms to Functioning of Assembly

Removing Regional Disparities

48) Removing Disparities in Regional Development

Right to Vote

49) Correction of Voter Rolls

Land Records and Stamp Duties

50) Land Record and Stamp Duties

Loksatta Manifesto: IRREVOCABLE GUARANTEES

Lok Satta to usher in a new society With 'irrevocable
Guarantees'

The Lok Satta Party unveiled its vision of a new society and a blueprint to accomplish it in five years flat, if it is elected to power in the 2009 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. Hardly two years old, the Lok Satta Party pledges itself to bring about a total transformation in the living conditions and livelihood opportunities in both rural and urban areas by providing innovative and offbeat solutions to innumerable ills plaguing contemporary society.

The Lok Satta Party today released a booklet titled, "Silent Revolution," incorporating a series of "irrevocable guarantees" it makes to the public. The party displays immense confidence and competence in delivering on them.

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan describes the guarantees as constitutionally correct and financially feasible.
The citizen-centric manifesto promotes economic growth of both the individual and society by harmonizing conflicting interests.
The guarantees will form part of the party's manifesto to be released later.
The Lok Satta Party visualizes district governments as the pivot of the far-reaching reform program in governance.

Although India attained freedom from the British more than 60 years ago, Indians have not become independent because there was only a change of players without real powers being transferred to the people.
By ushering in district governments, the party promises to transfer powers, responsibilities and resources to people's governments at the grassroots level.

District Governments

The party points out that many districts in Andhra Pradesh are bigger than nearly 100 countries in the world.
There is no reason why people in a district should come to Hyderabad to get their problems solved.

1. The Lok Satta Party plan envisages each district having a directly elected premier, and ministers in charge of various portfolios.
   
2. The district collector will act as the chief secretary.
   
3. The Government will devolve 50 percent of Plan funds on district governments, which in turn transfer them to local governments.
   
4. The local governments will be responsible for providing safe drinking water, sanitation and drainage, roads, housing and all other facilities.
   
5. In addition, a per capita grant of Rs.1000 will be made to both villages and towns. A town with a population of one lakh will get a grant of Rs. 10 crore in addition to funds under all normal schemes. The district government program associates people in the implementation of schemes by providing for elected committees at the ward level armed with both funds and powers.

Small Towns

The Lok Satta Party points out that like political power, economic power too is concentrated in big cities and towns, leading to the languishing of small towns and rural areas. The party will resolve this problem once and for all by developing 1000 small towns with a massive investment of Rs.25,000 crore.

1. All urban amenities, opportunities and quality life will be provided in the small towns.
2. Local roads, transport, water supply, drainage, parks, libraries, education, healthcare, and training industries will be encouraged making these small towns economic hubs and magnets for local migration.
   
3. The Lok Satta Party seeks to transform villages by guaranteeing safe drinking water in every village, 24-hour power supply to domestic consumers, quality power to the farm sector, a septic tank in every house at Government cost, a blacktop road to the village and assured bus services.
   
4. A village with a population of 10,000, for instance, will get a grant of Rs.1 crore in addition to funds under normal Government schemes.
   
5. Panchayats will be fully empowered to curb liquor, ensure safe water supply and prevent public defecation, and will be held accountable.
   
6. The Lok Satta Party pays special attention to imparting job skills to the youth and guaranteed employment by establishing ultra modern training centers.
   
7. The youth will be paid a monthly stipend of Rs.1500 as they undergo the year-long training. About 10, 00,000 trained youth will be assured jobs though placement Programmes in private sector and government.
   

Development Brigade

The Lok Satta Party will launch an army of young people who are committed and willing to work for the State's development for two years.

1. It will recruit and train not less than 100,000 people a year to ensure that there are at least 200,000 workers in the field at any time.
   
2. They will be paid a stipend of Rs.3000 per month for the two years they render service.
3. Their services will be utilized in the implementation of schemes in education, health, agriculture etc. and in the war against corruption and alcoholism.

Social Security

For the first time in the history of the country, the party commits itself to providing social security to one crore families and liberate them from livelihood fears.

1. It covers all families in the unorganized sector, who earn a monthly income of less than Rs.5000.
   
2. The beneficiaries will include small farmers and agricultural workers, small traders and artisans engaged in traditional occupations, hamalis and workers in the construction sector, drivers of autos, trucks and taxis, employees of private establishments like schools, shops and nursing homes and women.
   
3. Under the scheme, a family that saves Rs.400 a month will receive an equivalent matching grant from the Government so that in seven years it will have accumulated Rs.100,000 including interest.
   
4. The corpus will enable the family to take up any economic activity of its choice and lead an honorable life without any crutches.
   
5. This is eminently feasible in the context of the Lok Satta Party promising to provide free quality education and health care to all.
   
6. The Lok Satta Party promises free and quality education to all up to Class XII.
   
7. The Government will enable every poor student who is eligible and desirous of higher education including engineering and medicine at its cost.
   
8. Every student from poor and rural families, irrespective of caste or religion, will be given 10 percent bonus marks in competitive examinations for higher education or jobs.
   
9. The party will make available quality health care to every citizen in a hospital of his choice at its cost. 600 more 50 bedded public hospitals will be built throughout the state.
   
10. In addition, the Government will associate 3000 small private hospitals with its health care scheme and pay them for their services on behalf of patients.
    
11. The party reiterates its stand on restricting liquor consumption by reducing the number of licensed shops to less than 1000, banning belt shops, prohibiting liquor consumption in public, and empowering panchayats to enforce liquor policy.
    

Massive Agricultural Assistance

The Lok Satta Party pledges to revolutionize agriculture and rural economy.

1. A computerized agri-clinic will be established for every 3,000 acres to inform farmers of market demand, provide daily extension services, facilitate supply of quality inputs at reasonable prices, and help direct marketing to retail chains.
   
2. All farmers will get direct access to loans, and usurious practices will be prohibited.
   
3. Villages will be guaranteed 24-hour power supply through decentralized distribution.
   
4. Stable voltage and quality power will be guaranteed, and farmers will get compensation for motors burnt on account of voltage fluctuations.
   
5. All market committees will be managed by elected committees of farmers, and pledge loans will be guaranteed on stored produce.
   
6. Processing industries will be established in every market, and perishable commodities will get guaranteed minimum price.
   

Regional Disparities

Lok Satta pledges to create regional development boards and give them constitutional status under Art 371-D, with ample powers and funds.

1. There will be district-wise allocations in the state budget.
   
2. The party government will constitute and independent statutory commission for allocation and distribution of river waters within the state among various regions and districts.
   

War on Corruption

1. It will wage a war on corruption by constituting a special court in every district to try charges against elected people's representatives and officials.
   
2. providing for confiscation of their ill-gotten wealth and appointing special public prosecutors to pursue the cases.
   
3. The party promises to constitute a local court in every mandal to dispose of small cases within 90 days.
   
4. Crime investigation will be made completely independent of partisan control.
   
5. Every district will have a well-equipped forensic laboratory and prosecution will be independent of government.
   
6. Law will be applicable to all uniformly.