Date:09/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/09/stories/2006110904480600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

5 firms keen on joining hands with farmers

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: In a move that is expected to give a fillip to the rural economy, five firms have evinced interest in joining hands with farmers as part of the Rural Business Hub (RBH) initiative launched by the Union Ministry of Panchayat Raj and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to market farm produce.

Panchayat Raj Minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy told a conference on `Rural Business Hubs — Partnering Growth' organised on Wednesday that two major agro-processing units had expressed their desire to procure farm produce.

Similarly, two more firms would take up bio-diesel plantation on a massive scale while yet another firm would establish a water purification plant.

Transformation

Mr. Reddy said the RBH initiative would transform rural areas and hoped that elected representatives of the Panchayat Raj bodies would prepare an action plan for each village and habitation.

Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Panchayat Raj M.K. Khanna said RBH would bridge the urban-rural divide and bring about economic prosperity. He said rural people had to decide on what sort of help they would like to take from the Government to be part of the RBH.