Andhra Pradesh

Rs.5 crores for Kakinada main line

Kakinada: The Minister for Railways has agreed in principle to earmark Rs.5 crores for the Kakinada-Pithapuram main line project in the current year’s budget, according to M.M. Pallam Raju Union Minister of State for Defence. He told newsmen here on Wednesday that Rs.82 crores was required for construction of 22kms railway line that brings Kakinada on the main line.

Since all the projects above Rs.50 crores outlay require Planning Commission’s approval, he said, it was referred to it. Meanwhile, he said, the District Collector and the General Manager District Industries Centre have to prepare a project report showing that the returns on the railway line would be more than 14 per cent and submit it to the Railway Board through the SC railway for its final clearance.

On the allocation of MP LADS funds, he said, developmental works at a cost Rs.7.50 crores were taken up in all the Assembly segments of Kakinada Parliamentary constituency during last three years. The Minister claimed that MPLADs funds were allocated to all the villages equally for ensuring speedy development ending inequalities.

Of these total allocations, he said, Prattipadu Assembly segment got Rs.1.10 crores, Pithapuram Rs.1.10 crores, Sampara Rs.1.20 crores, Kakinada Rs.1.14 crores, Peddapuram Rs. 84 lakhs and Jaggampet Rs.1.19 crores. He claimed that Kakinada was poised for accelerated industrial development with the two SEZs that are getting materialised.

He said already several industries had come up in and around Kakinada and more are in the pipeline.

More over, he said, Kakinada had already become the hub for software industries with six software companies started functioning in the STPI opening lot of avenues for the students of engineering colleges in both the Godavari districts.

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