The Andhra Pradesh Working Journalists Federation on Thursday demanded early implementation of the Justice Gurubux Matijia Wage Board recommendations so that justice could be done to the Journalists and non-Journalists in the country.
This demand came in the form of a memorandum to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and a copy to Labour Minister Danam Nagender submitted today.
The APWJF pointed out that journalists from across the country were responding to the call given by the National Alliance of Journalists on March 17 to press the Union Government for early notification of Justice Gurubux Matijia Wage Board for working journalists and non-journalists.
The memorandum pointed out that Thursday is being observed as &lsquo;Demands Day&rsquo; by APWJF which premier federation of working and an affiliate of NAJ in the state. The APWJF represent print and electronic media apart from news agencies from across the state.
Apart from the early notification of the justice GR Matijia Wage Board recommendations with retrospective effect from 2008, the other main demands are the constitution of a Media Council by amending the Press Council Act and extending the working Journalists Act to the entire media industry to ensure fair wages to journalists and press workers.
The APWJF also demanded that the government constitute a media development Corporation to help small and medium newspapers and news agencies.
The memorandum, submitted by APWJF president SM Hashim, general-secretary G Anjaneyulu and secretary P Shankar, urged the Chief Minister to use his good offices with the Union Government and convey the feelings of thousands of journalists who are agitating for the notification of the new wage board recommendation.
The scribes said that the implementation was long overdue and sought the Chief Minister to ensure that the union government would act fast in processing the final report which will be presented to the Union Cabinet for a final decision.

General News

Scribes Union observe Demands Day, plea CM on wages

The newly launched YSR Congress Party will have a common symbol after the Supreme Court issued directions in this regard to the Election Commission on Wednesday.&nbsp;The Supreme Court&rsquo;s direction will provide a major relief to the YSR Congress Party, launched by former Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Mr Jaganmohan Reddy has been facing a concerted attack by the main opposition party, the Telugu Desam Party on his amassing of wealth.
Disposing a petition filed by Mr Jaganmohan Reddy appealing the Apex Court to allot a common symbol before the by-elections to Kadapa Parliamentary and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies, the court stated &ldquo;it is prerogative of the EC to allot symbols to parties.&rdquo;&nbsp;With this, Mr Jaganmohan Reddy and his mother Vijayamma can contest in the elections on a common symbol.
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Jagan & Vijayamma get common symbol

Contrary to the wishes of former chief minister K Rosaiah who declined to have an aircraft, the&nbsp;Andhra Pradesh Aviation Corporation Limited&nbsp;(APACL) has again put forward a proposal to acquiring an aircraft for Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy considering his security aspect.
It was made in the demand for grants of roads, buildings and ports department for 2011-12&nbsp;by R and B minister Dharmana Prasada Rao.&nbsp;&nbsp; The R and B provided APACL an amount of Rs 23 crore in the budget estimates for 2011-12 to meet the expenditure on operation and maintenance of the aircraft and also for hiring of helicopter from other sources when the state helicopter is grounded for normal maintenance. Former chief minister Mr Rosaiah had expressed reluctance at that time when such a proposal was put forward, keeping in view the sluggish economic situation of the state.
The CMO at that time had proposed to buy a 15-seater aircraft after Mr Rosaiah had expressed reluctance to fly in a helicopter. This reluctance had been attributed to the chopper crash which claimed the life of Mr Rosaiah&rsquo;s predecessor YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
He had opted to travel by train on many occasions, despite keeping ill health on account of his advanced age. Mr Rosaiah had specified to the officials not to entertain such proposals as there was no necessity to spend such huge amounts for such a costly aircraft.&nbsp; In fact, the proposal to purchase a private jet was first mooted in 2008, when the late YSR was the chief minister. This proposal was dropped due to the financial crunch the state faced. Interestingly despite same financial situation arising, the said proposal gained grounds.
This time however, the security aspect has forced the administration to have a rethink on the proposal of going ahead with the purchase of a private jet.
The APACL has been using the AW-139 to fly VIPs, including Governor, Chief Minister and Union Ministers and for attending to relief works in the aftermath of natural calamities and police emergencies.&nbsp;
The APACL had two helicopters -- Bell 430 and Augusta Westland 139 (AW-139) -- of which the Bell-430 was destroyed in a crash that killed the then chief minister&nbsp;YS Rajasekhara Reddy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
According to highly placed sources, the CMO hopes that new airports with runways to handle a small jet will be ready in at least some places in the state. While regular flights are available only to four locations in the state outside Hyderabad, where airports are in operation, rail route is the only other option left before the officials. Though the government proposes to build new airports at seven other locations in the state

APACL pushes for aircraft for CM

Minister for Minor Irrigation TG Venkatesh on Wednesday demanded that the government should install all the statues of Telugu luminaries at the same spot where they were damaged during the Million March on Tank Bund on March 10.
Mr Venkatesh was talking to media persons after paying rich floral tributes to Potti Sriramulu at his statue on the Public Gardens premises to mark his 110th birth anniversary. The Minister reminded that Potti Sriramulu fought for formation of Andhra Pradesh after seeing the Telugu people being meted out injustice and being discriminated against in Tamil Nadu.
Condemning the&nbsp;objections raised by Telangana on the reinstallation of the statues of Telugu luminaries, Mr Venkatesh said that the statues which were damaged in the violence during the Millin March should be reinstalled at the same spots.
He said that there was no harm in installing a statue of Telangana tribal leader Komaram Bheem on Tank Bund.&nbsp;The Minister said the Telangana leaders can install Komaram Bheem&rsquo;s statue anywhere in the city.
Mr Venkatesh said that not only Komaram Bheem, but a statue of any person who works for the promotion of Telugu can be installed. The Minister further added that, &ldquo;I am ready to install the statue of Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao if he raises &lsquo;Jai Andhra&rsquo; slogan.&rdquo;
Mr Venkatesh, who is also the convenor of the Rayalaseema Hakkula Ikya Veedika&nbsp;further added that the pro-Telangana activists are disrespecting the luminaries who had strived to promote Telugu culture and language by insisting that their statues should not be reinstalled.
Reacting on Telangana leaders demand for introduction of Telangana Bill in Parliament, the Minister if the government goes ahead and splits the state, demands of a separate state would be raised from every district.

Reinstall statues at same spot: TG Venkatesh

Suspended general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Ambati Rambabu&nbsp;on Tuesday stated that he had received a parcel containing a packet of cyanide and a letter threatening former Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy of dire consequences.
Talking to media persons, Mr Rambabu revealed that the parcel was delivered to his residence and contained a letter which warned Mr Jaganmohan Reddy of dire consequences if he causes any obstruction to the government. The letter further warned the former MP not to launch any anti-government programmes.
Mr Rambabu further stated that the letter warned Mr Jaganmohan Reddy not to create disturbance to upcoming MLC elections.&nbsp;Reading out the contents of letter before the media, Mr Rambabu said that he had lodged complaint with the police in this regard.&nbsp;&ldquo;Earlier, Mr Jaganmohan Reddy had received many threatening calls warning him of dire consequences. But this time around, we have received a cyanide packet,&rdquo; Mr Rambabu stated.

Scribes Union observe Demands Day, plea CM on wages

Jagan & Vijayamma get common symbol

Jagan & Vijayamma get common symbol

Jagan & Vijayamma get common symbol

APACL pushes for aircraft for CM

APACL pushes for aircraft for CM

APACL pushes for aircraft for CM

Reinstall statues at same spot: TG Venkatesh

Reinstall statues at same spot: TG Venkatesh

Reinstall statues at same spot: TG Venkatesh

Jagan gets threat letter & cyanide packet

Jagan gets threat letter & cyanide packet