Date:21/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092102411900.htm

Back AP Govt to launch job scheme for the drought-hit

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Sept. 20

THE State Government will launch a wage employment scheme that would cover about 200 poor families in each village in 80 mandals of the drought-affected districts in the State soon.

Touted as a step towards `food security', the schemes expects to integrate the `Food for Work (FFW)' programme and similar other schemes.

Simultaneously, the Government has also decided to distribute 10 kg of rice free to every destitute who has not been taken care of by family members on account of migration.

Both these schemes would be launched on Gandhi Jayanthi. Announcing this at a seminar on `Mission 2007 initiative for a hunger free India', the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said during the last 10-15 years, the growth rate of agriculture had fallen substantially and productivity levels has stagnated.

In his welcome address, Dr M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, said that issues such as 4 per cent increase in agriculture, improvement in health conditions of malnourished populations suffering from anaemia can contribute to the GDP growth by 2 per cent.

The country director of World Food Programme, Mr Pedro Medrano, said woman workers in villages could be entrusted the activities relating to health, sanitation, education and immunisation. Even human asset creation could be included in the FFW programme.

The Mission 2007 initiative meeting was jointly organised by the MS Swaminathan Foundation, UN World Food Programme and the National Mission on Farmers here on Monday.