Wednesday, January 26 2005 14:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: Appealing to the Maoists to give up arms and join the mainstream, Andhra Pradesh Governor Sushilkumar Shinde today (Jan 26, 2005) said that weapons have no place in a democracy and nothing can be achieved through violent means as history has proved it.

"The State Government has initiated peace process and I am sure that the process of talks will continue," Shinde said at the Republic Day function in Hyderabad and appealed to the Maoists to give up arms and join the mainstream.

Listing out the initiatives taken up by the Government, the Governor said Andhra Pradesh is one of the well-governed States in the country.

The present Government, in a short time, has initiated several public welfare programmes giving agriculture and irrigation a priority, he added.

"Another remarkable achievement is that the Government has sanctioned free power to all agricultural connections and also waived off power dues worth Rs 1,192 crore," Shinde said adding, the Government has also decided to distribute more than one lakh acres of land to poor and underprivileged throughout the State on a single day today.