Date:30/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/30/stories/2006053013930300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

`Government aiming at basic amenities for all`

Staff Reporter

One third of villages being covered this year

Deadline of three years set under Indiramma scheme
Minister distributes pensions to weavers aged over 60 years
TDP laid foundations, Congress is taking up works: Diwakar Reddy

EMRI emergency system inaugurated

ANANTAPUR: Minister for Panchayat Raj and Endowments J.C. Diwakar Reddy has said that the Government has been working with the aim of providing shelter, ration cards and domestic power supply to all the poor in three years through Indiramma programme.

Just as there is no farmer in the State who is complaining about denial of free power supply to his agriculture pump set, no poor family in the State should complain of not having a house, ration card and domestic power supply, he said while laying the foundation stone for internal roads at a cost of Rs. one crore in Uravakonda major panchayat on Monday.

In the first phase of Indiramma scheme, one third of the villages and municipal wards were being covered this year, he noted.

Pensions

After three years there will be no poor family in the State without having the three basic facilities, he said. The Government was also giving pensions to various sections. He also distributed pension to 305 weavers aged over 60 years and registered in weavers' cooperative societies. They would get Rs. 200 per month and the first quarter's amount was distributed by the Minister.

Taking a dig at the previous TDP rule Mr. Diwakar Reddy said while the TDP Government had believed only in laying foundation stones the Congress Government was taking up works. Their Government was working for all round development of the State, he said.

Water project

The Minister stated that Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy would lay the foundation stone for Rs. 350-crore drinking water pipeline project from Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir at Kalyanadurg on June 6. The project would ensure drinking water to Uravakonda, Kalyanadurg, Rayadurg, Penukonda, Madakasira, Hindupur, Gorantla and Dharmavaram constituencies.

The Minister, Anantapur MP A. Venkatarami Reddy and State Sheep Rearers Cooperative Federation Chairman A. Gopinath were felicitated by Uravakonda gram panchayat.

Later in the evening, the Minister inaugurated emergency response system set up by the Emergency Maintenance and Research Institute (EMRI) here. People in the town can make emergency calls for police, fire and ambulance by dialing 108 under the new facility.