Time-bound programme to complete irrigation projects: BJP chief

By Our Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM, NOV. 27. A time-bound programme was needed to complete the pending irrigation projects in the State, said the State BJP president, Mr. Ch. Ramachandra Reddy.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Reddy said that several projects, particularly on the Godavari, remained a non-starter for lack of funds and suggested that the TDP being an ally of the NDA Government could avail of the services of four Ministers from the State in the Vajpayee Cabinet and complete the projects. He said the work on the Jhanjavati was going on at a snail's pace for lack of funds and also due to minor objections from the Orissa Government. He said the party had constituted a 11-member committee with Prof. S.V.Seshagiri Rao, party vice- president, as the convenor to identify backward districts and submit a report to the Government. When a reporter pointed out that identification of backward districts was already done in the past and that there was no need for the committee to embark on such an exercise again, Mr. Reddy could not give a satisfactory reply.

He said the party would bring pressure on the Centre to extend the welfare schemes being taken up by the Integrated Tribal Development Agencies to tribals living in the plains by suitably amending the legislation. He said the BJP would launch a programme in January that banjar lands and also the lands, about 25,000 - 30,000 acres, in Warangal and Karimnagar districts left fallow by landlords due to threats from naxalites of the People's War Group should be distributed to the landless who could till them. He said that the Government would purchase the fallow lands form the landlords and distribute them to the weaker sections. Further, he appealed to the Government to raise fruit-bearing trees on the land left uncovered with trees by the Forest Department and transfer rights over the trees to tribals so that their economic conditions could be improved.

Mr. Reddy said that the BJP would propagate the good work done by the Vajpayee Government and various schemes launched by the NDA Government from December 25 to December 30 in about 10,000 villages in the State.

He said the `Food for work' programme was not being implemented effectively in Vizianagaram district and wanted the Minister and the Collector to take effective measures. The district BJP president, Mr. DVR Choudhury, was present at the press conference.

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Section  : Southern States
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