The Hindu : National : White revolution possible in U.P.: Sonia

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Wednesday, Oct 17, 2007
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White revolution possible in U.P.: Sonia

Atiq Khan

Attributes success of Rae Bareli milk procurement scheme to Rahul’s efforts

RAE BARELI: United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said the success of the milk procurement scheme in Rae Bareli and Sultanpur opened the possibility of a white revolution in Uttar Pradesh.

She attributed the success of the scheme solely to the efforts of Rahul Gandhi, Amethi MP.It was the first time since he became Congress general secretary that Ms. Gandhi mentioned Mr. Gandhi’s name from a public platform and lauded his initiative for the betterment of rural areas.

The UPA chairperson, who started a three-day visit of her constituency, said the National Dairy Development Board had set up about 30 cooling plants and 57,000 litres of milk was being procured daily from local farmers. With no middlemen involved, the poor farmers were generating an income of Rs. 7 lakh a day.

Addressing a public meeting after dedicating to the nation a 220/132-kV sub-station along with the Unchahar-Rae Bareli inter-connection here, the Congress president said the UPA government had resolved to make power available to each household by 2012.

Ms. Gandhi said that around Rs. 300 crore would be spent on electrification of 1,735 villages in Rae Bareli district. This would benefit about two lakh rural households. She said 16,000 BPL (below poverty line) households in 300 villages had been given free connection. The job would be completed in 2008.

Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that with the setting up of the new sub-station, the power situation in and around Rae Bareli would improve. The target of electrifying 1.25 lakh villages under the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme would be achieved by 2009.

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