Date:30/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/30/stories/2004083006640400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Nod for Polavaram left canal soon

By Our Staff Reporter

PAYAKARAOPETA (VISAKHAPATNAM DT.), AUG. 29. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Sunday announced that the Government would accord administrative sanction for the Polavaram left canal in a week or two.

``There is no dearth of funds. We will clear the left canal project in a few days so that we can usher in another Green Revolution in north Andhra,'' he said while addressing meetings as part of the Rajiv Palle Bata programme at Payakaraopeta, Mangavaram, Namavaram, Vempada, Kagitha Nakkapali, and other places.

MLA's plea

As soon as Dr. Reddy landed in a helicopter at a makeshift helipad here, the Jaggampeta MLA (East Godavari), Thota Narsimhaiah, submitted a memorandum to him demanding immediate clearance for the Polavaram left canal project.

The Chief Minister said that they were taking a loan of Rs. 500 crores from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for introducing schemes to develop wasteland and increase the yield from agriculture fields.

Free power

Stating that the State suffered a lot due to successive droughts, Dr. Reddy said his Government was taking several initiatives like providing free power to farmers to improve their quality of living.

Declaring continuation of free power to farmers as per the Congress pre-poll promise, he said they would consider giving free power to unauthorised connections only after meeting the requirement of the authorised connections. He also hinted at sanctioning 50,000 new connections.

Loans to women

``We want to advance loans to DWCRA women at 25 paise interest and provide guaranteed employment for the rural youth. Bank interest rates are also being lowered. Dr. Reddy said the Government was committed to sanction six lakh houses this year and 40 lakh houses during the next five years.