The state Congress should have a newspaper and a news channel exclusively dedicated to boost the image of the party and the government in the state; it should introduce more schemes for BCs, women, children and farmers, immediately fill all nominated posts with Congress leaders and hold early local body polls. These are some of the recommendations submitted by the Dharmana Prasad Rao-led 10-member ministers' committee.
Committee members presented the interim report on Wednesday to both Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC chief Botsa Satyanar-ayana at Gandhi Bhavan. Speaking on the occasion, roads and buildings minister Dharmana Prasad Rao said that the Committee had made 34 recommendations to the government and 17 to the party for consideration and implementation. The committee has also recommended installing statues of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at various places to remind the people that the Congress was pro-poor.
SOME OF THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
* Top leadership of the Congress and the government should have more coordination and unity to boost the party's and the government’s image in the state
* Immediate filling of all nominated posts with Congress leaders should be given priority.
* Local body polls (both Municipal, and Panchayati Raj) should be held immediately to strengthen the party.
* A new level of Gram Panchayat Committee of the Congress should be created apart from filling the existing vacancies in mandal, district and state-level party committees.
* The party should take steps to set up an exclusive news channel and newspaper for propaganda and publicity.
* Both the party and the government should be “media friendly” to grab good publicity as well as to ensure correct version on all developments.
* All government schemes should hereafter be propagated as Congress schemes.
* New schemes should be announced for the downtrodden, especially for Backward Classes, women and farmers.
* Government should introduce a scheme to provide “Mangalasutram” (Taalibottu) to newly-wed poor girls.