Central team to tour drought-hit areas

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 2. A Central team will tour the drought-affected areas in Andhra Pradesh next week to assess the situation even as the State Government today sought nearly Rs.850-crore assistance under various schemes as part of its drought relief measures.

Briefing presspersons after a State Government delegation met the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and other Union Ministers, the State Revenue Minister, Mr. P Ashoka Gajapathi Raju, said the Central team was expected to visit the State on Monday.

He said in addition, the State had sought release of six lakh tonnes of foodgrains to assist it in running the `food for work' programme and employment assurance and Jawahar Gram Samruddhi Yojna. The State has already released nearly Rs.175 crores under various schemes.

The delegation that included the Civil Supplies Minister, Dr. N. Janardhana Reddy, and TDP Parliamentary Party leader, Mr. K. Yerran Naidu, also met the Agriculture Minister, Mr. Ajit Singh, and the Civil Supplies Minister, Mr. Shanta Kumar.

In a memorandum to the Centre, the State Government sought funds from various schemes to launch relief measures. They included seed subsidy, training and campaign, pest and disease control to promote direct seeding practice in case of paddy.

The demands included supply of fodder seed, cattle feed, mineral mixture, health care vaccines and outlined the contingent plan to augment water supply to the rural and urban areas. In addition to the funds, the State sought allocation of foodgrains, specifically rice, free of cost in order to prove wage employment. The State Government said it had prepared rural work plans to absorb six lakh tonnes of foodgrains till next June.

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