Cabinet okays 'proactive' infrastructure policy

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, DEC. 4. The Cabinet has okayed a 'proactive' infrastructure draft policy that seeks to remove irritants in grounding privately-funded infrastructure projects and generally to spur development.

The draft policy and related legislation came up for discussion at Monday's meeting of the Cabinet where the factors hampering these projects at various stages of development also figured.

It provides for a speedy and transparent selection, proper administrative support, cuts procedural delays and facilitates hassle-free execution of 30-odd mega projects identified by the Government. The areas covered include: power, roads, bridges, ports, education, health, tourism, IT and telecom, water supply, sewerage, trade fairs, conventions and industrial/knowledge parks.

Briefing reporters later, the Minister for Information & Public Relations, Dr. N. Siva Prasad, said an authority -- AP Water, Land and Trees Authority -- would be set up soon to promote water conservation, tree cover and regulate exploitation and use of groundwater. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, was expected to nominate the Minister for Forests or any other Minister to head the authority.

The Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Ordinance was also approved by the Cabinet. Prominent features include: registration of wells, no well shall be sunk within 250 metres of a public drinking water source, bar on pumping water in specific areas, ceiling on water usage, protection of lakes, ponds and tanks, protection of wildlife, compulsory plantation in urban areas, protection of trees, encouragement to use of non-conventional energy devices to protect trees, etc. A major focus would be on enlisting public participation in these activities.

The Cabinet also reviewed the crop conditions, procurement, prices of agricultural commodities and related matters. It felt that the open market prices improved due to the market intervention by the Government. The price of paddy before intervention was between Rs 420 and Rs 450 a quintal. The present level was Rs 500 to Rs 535. In the case of maize, the price improved from Rs 245 a quintal to Rs 396.

The Cabinet was informed that the Government of India's decision that the FCI would move not less than 3 lakh tonnes of rice every month outside the State, stop movement of rice from the north to the south, take more godown space on hire and shift wheat from covered space to open area. The FCI had so far procured Rs 9.33 lakh tonnes of rice and 2,634 tonnes of paddy while the FCI and the Markfed of AP purchased 19,097 tonnes of maize. The Cabinet sub-committee set up for the purpose was monitoring the situation constantly.

It also reviewed the epidemic situation and the incidence of Japanese encephalitis (brain fever), malaria, gastroenteritis and dengue fever. It noted with some satisfaction that JE and malaria incidence had come down while gastroenteritis deaths showed a marginal increase. The number of cases and deaths in 1999 and 2000 in respect of the epidemics are as follows: Brain fever: 905 and 184 in 1999 and 326 and 67 so far this year. Malaria: 1.29 lakh and 11 (1999); 53,702 and 5 (2000); gastroenteritis: 11,910 and 68 (1999); 7502 and 73 (2000). Two cases of dengue fever were reported from Chittoor district.

It also approved alienation of 10 hectares of land in Nakrekallu mandal of Guntur district to Espar Park for setting up a mini- hydel project.

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