Naidu writes to PM seeking CMs' meet

By Our Staff Reporter

G. KOTTAPALLI (W.G Dt.), MARCH 10. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Saturday said had written to the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers to discuss the impact of WTO on various sections in preparation for the world summit of the organisation this year.

Laying the foundation stone for an irrigation project here, Mr. Naidu said there would be discussions on WTO this year. There was need for the Central Government to focus on the problems of the people, particularly farmers, at the appropriate forums of WTO, he said. ``I have written a letter to the Prime Minister to organise a meeting of Chief Ministers,'' Mr. Naidu said.

The Congress(I) Government at the Centre signed the WTO agreement in 1994, but no steps had been taken to prepare farmers for the ensuing changes. The country had to now make agricultural imports. There were restrictions on increasing the import duty, he said. The Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for the Kovvada and Yerrakalava projects in West Godavari district. The cost of both projects is estimated to be Rs. 93 crores.

Talking to presspersons at T.P. Gudem, Mr. Naidu said that the Government would organise district-level meetings of farmers to discuss the pros and cons of the agreement with the WTO.

Mr. Naidu who came by helicopter from Hyderabad, laid the stone for the Rs. 47-crore Kovvada project. The project will create an additional ayacut of 7,179 hectares in the limits of 17 villages and drinking water facilities to 15 villages. Later, he laid the stone for the Rs. 45-crore Yerrakalava project at Government Kotapalli in Dwaraka Tirumala mandal.

Addressing a gathering at G.Kotapalli, Mr. Naidu said the foundation stones for such big projects had not been laid in West Godavari district since Independence.

The completion of irrigation projects usually took between 15 and 20 years. Irrigation projects for which Mr. Jalagam Vengala Rao laid the stones nearly 15 years ago were inaugurated by him recently, Mr. Naidu said.

He said the Andhra Pradesh Government was giving the utmost importance to irrigation. On the suggestion of Mr. Garapati Sambasiva Rao, MLA, a project was being prepared for a supply channel to fill 40 tanks for drinking water purposes. Drinking and irrigation water could be reached to more villages with the help of a lift irrigation scheme on the Yerrakalava Left Canal. The Chief Minister participated in several inaugural programmes in the district. He inaugurated a Gandhi Centenary Bhavan in Pedanindrakolanu village, a rural water supply scheme in Fathepuram village, Government hospital in Tadepalligudem and unveiled the statue of NTR in Palakolu town.

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