Hyderabad, June 29 (NSS): Former MLC Professor Dr K. Nageswar today said the cities were not only meant for the rich, but also for the poor.
Speaking at the inaugural address at a seminar organized by the CPM City Committee on urbanisation-government policies and alternatives in Telangana, Nageshwar said there was no development of the cities without labourers and added that steps should be taken to provide basic amenities in the areas where the labourers live and make them live happily, bring employment guarantee act for urban workers, allocate 10% of the Income Tax collected by the Central government for the development of cities, policies to protect nature and environment. He said the development strategy of cities should not be the main objective of land trade to be undertaken.
Urban policy expert Dr D. Narasimha Reddy said the development of cities was not happening naturally and added that the governments were forcibly merging villages while noting that the term development of cities runs in such a way that it loots the natural resources. He alleged that governments were imposing tax burdens on the people in the name of reforms and added that they did not know where urban policies are being decided. He appealed to the State government to implement transparent policies.
CPM city secretary M Srinivas said the Chief Minister, who reviewed the progress of metro rail project should also review the MMTS trains that are available to the common man, increase the number of RTC buses in large numbers, provide immediate amenities in the areas of double bedroom houses and start issuing ration cards immediately. He said the government should focus on measures to increase facilities in slums in the city.
Professor Indivar said the neglect of poor areas in the city would continue and demanded that the rich should give up double standards towards poor areas and provide rights to the houses of the poor.
Party State general secretary DG Narasimha Rao, CPM city secretariat members M Srinivasa Rao, M Dasarath, M Mahender, K N Rajanna, K Nagalakshmi, M Venkatesh and other leaders participated in the seminar. (NSS)
