Priyanka Gandhi assumes charge as AICC general secretary
New Delhi, Feb 6 : Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday took charge as AICC general secretary and will helm the party's affairs in Uttar Pradesh East.
She arrived at the party headquarters at Akbar Road after dropping her husband at the office of the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a money laundering case. She also met some party workers and leaders from the Hindi heartland state.
During her 15-minute stay at the party office, security personnel had a hard time controlling the crowd that had gathered there.
The atmosphere at the AICC headquarters was electric. Priyanka's official entry into politics is expected to boost the morale of the party workers in Uttar Pradesh, the state which sends 80 MPs to Lok Sabha.
A large number of party workers welcomed her by raising slogans of "Priyanka Gandhi aayi hai, nayi roshni layi hai" (Priyanka Gandhi has come, she has brought light).
"I am extremely happy to be here," Priyanka told reporters soon after she reached the Congress headquarters.
She thanked her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi for entrusting her with the responsibility and said people of Uttar Pradesh had given a lot to her family.
Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi have been elected to the Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh's Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies. It is speculated that Priyanka might follow in their footsteps by contesting from a seat in the state.
Earlier, her father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi were also elected from Uttar Pradesh.
While leaving the party office, Priyanka stepped out of her black Land Rover and greeted the Congress workers and supporters waiting outside. She waved to them and shook hands with some.
Priyanka, 47, was appointed as general secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East on January 23 by Rahul Gandhi.
She has been allotted an office adjacent to that of her brother's at the party headquarters.
She will share her office with Jyotiraditya Scindia, general secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh West. Scindia's appointment was made on the same day as Priyanka's and he assumed charge earlier in the day.
Priyanka will attend her first official meeting on Thursday. Rahul Gandhi has called for the meeting, which will also be attended by all other party general secretaries and in-charges of various states to plan the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
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25 lakh properties in Bengaluru brought under e-Khata system: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said that the state government has brought over 25 lakh properties under the e-Khata system in Bengaluru.
e-Khata is an electronic property certificate that maintains ownership information in an online database.
The e-Khata initiative aimed to ensure accuracy, transparency and universal coverage for property owners, he said.
Addressing a press conference here, Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru in-charge Minister, said over 25 lakh properties are being brought under the e-Khata system. Of them more than 7,000 applications have been processed, and additional outreach measures being planned for those yet to obtain their e-Khata.
"Twenty five lakh e-Khatas is a great number which has created history," he said.
The Deputy CM said the government is ensuring that every e-Khata will have its GPS, the shape of the property, and the measurement with every photo and document.
He explained that the government is integrating Aadhaar details, digital documentation, GPS mapping and property sketches to create a robust database.
"We want to see that every record is filled right. They (officials) are asking for documentation, stamp, digital documents. We wanted to connect every Aadhaar card and have it online," Shivakumar said.
To facilitate access, the Deputy CM announced the opening of more than 50 centres across Bengaluru, many of them in government schools, where citizens can apply for or rectify their e-Khata records.
"All of them will be working this Saturday. This 'Khata Mela' will be done. It is 'Nanna Khata, Nanna Swathu'," he said.
Applicants whose documents require verification will be given an acknowledgement and asked to return after 15 days, during which officials will conduct site inspections, he said.
Shivakumar said the government has also taken steps to identify and reclaim properties recorded as roads in revenue documents, asserting that such lands belong to the government.
"We have decided through the law that all the roads in the revenue records have been taken out. Those properties belong to the government itself," he said.
He noted that the initiative has received recognition from the Union government. "The Government of India has awarded us. It said that it is the model for the entire country," he said, while thanking officials involved in the project.
The Deputy CM said the government expects around 10 lakh additional households to benefit from the drive and assured that even those who have not downloaded their documents will receive printed copies free of cost at their residences.
"We will see that all the 25 lakh people will get their e-Khata to their home free of cost," Shivakumar said.
On apartment properties, he said all flats that have obtained occupancy certificates have been cleared.
"All the 37,460 flats (who have applied for e-Khata) have been issued an occupancy certificate. We have cleared all of them," the Deputy CM said.
