Union Health Minister and Congress party Andhra Pradesh State Affairs in charge Gulam Nabi Azad appealed to employees who are on general strike for the past 20 days to call of the stir. Stating that the consultation process over Statehood for Telangana yet to be completed at national level, he said the impasse over Telangana issue would be resolved as early as possible.

The Minister has launched the Indira Jala Prabha programme that aimed at providing irrigation facility to 10 lakh acres of barren land belonged to Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes near Erragondapalem in Prakasam district. At an estimated cost of 1800 crore rupees, the programme is expected to benefit over 5 lakh SC and ST families in the state.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has signed the proposed One rupee Kilo rice scheme to be implemented through Public Distribution System. The initiative will provide rice to the people below poverty line at a rate of one rupee a kilo benefiting about 70 percent of people in the state. At present the state Government has been providing rice for two rupees a kilogram.