Hyderabad: The Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today asked the Special Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries of various departments, HoDs and other senior officials concerned to take the forthcoming Sessions of the Legislative Assembly and Council beginning 13th February in all its seriousness and be prepared with details on all current subjects and issues that might come up for discussion.

All answers should be prompt and accurate. The Chief Minister was addressing a meeting of the Ministers, Whips, Special Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, HoDs on the eve of the Budget of the Assembly and Council today at Secretariat. All senior Ministers, Chief Secretary and other senior officials were present. The Chief Minister said Assembly and Council are foremost to us. This session is particularly important since it is a long session. Questions of previous session that are not answered should be immediately. Apart from Governor's address and the Budget most important will be the adjournment motions.

This is very important. Some of them will have to be answered immediately. Officials should be in constant touch with the Ministers concerned and whips. He said a gist of the answer of all questions should be prepared. The Chief Minister said that translations in 3 languages -- English, Telugu and Urdu for all questions, Bills and other matters will be provided from this session onwards. The Chief Secretary said that arrangements have already been done for URDU translations during the session. The Chief Minister said a Nodal Officer should be appointed in every department to deal with the Assembly and Council subjects. The Chief Minister directed that no leave shall be granted to Special Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, HoDs and other staff concerned during the Assembly session. Answers to questions and other statements should be ready well in advance from time to time. He said that all officers should promptly brief the Ministers on the questions and other issues to be raised in the Assembly and Council. The Chief Minister said since some of the officers have gone for election duty, alternate arrangements should be made.

He said the Assembly days are going to be very important and all of us should be ready with all aspect of the issues and subjects which might come up for discussions. The Chief Minister said as Speaker he has then ruled that answers to zero hour questions should be given in a week and this should be adhered to. The Chief Secretary said that leaves for senior officials will be granted only by the Chief Minister in unavoidable circumstances and hence leave should be avoided. The Chief Minster also directed that officers concerned should be present in the Assembly and Council during the debate when questions relating to their departments are raised.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy also said that top priority should be given to Assembly and Council matters and that there should be no slackness on the part of the officials in providing the necessary details. Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy also directed that the Principal Secretaries and Secretaries should coordinate with the Assembly/Council Secretaries and staff for smooth functioning during the session. The Chief Minister cautioned the officials to ensure error free translations and ensure that the figures provided in the information should be correct and authentic. He also wanted the officials to enlist all the subjects dealt by each department, prepare necessary notes well in advance and every Minister should be kept well informed. Finance Minister Sri Anam Ram Narayana Reddy, Legislative Affairs Minister Sri D.Sridhara Babu also spoke on this occasion. Chief Secretary Sri Pankaj Dwivedi and other senior officials attended the meeting.