Date:07/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/07/stories/2008040753010300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Rs. 16,000 cr for NREGS this year, says Pallam Raju

Staff Reporter

Warns of action against officials who fail to achieve targets

Photo: S. Rambabu

Stock-taking: Union Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju (third from left) speaking at the East Godavari District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting in Kakinada on Sunday. —

Kakinada: The Central Government has earmarked Rs 16,000 crores for implementing National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the current financial year, Union Minister of State for Defence M.M Pallam Raju said in the East Godavari District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee (DVMC) meeting held here on Sunday. On the occasion, Mr. Pallam Raju said stringent action would be taken against the officials who neglect or fail to achieve the targets as it was a prestigious scheme taken up by the UPA Government with objective of creating at least 100 days’ mandays for the beneficiaries in a year. He also suggested that the services of ex-servicemen could be availed of in the implementation of rural development schemes.

Referring to drinking water supply, Mr. Pallam Raju said priority should be given to provide safe drinking water and advised the departments concerned to take the help of organisations which specialise in water purification technologies. Necessary steps have to be taken to deal with scarcity that is bound to create problem in the summer.

Social Welfare Minister Pilli Subhas Chandra Bose said a sum of Rs 73 lakh was granted for the development of social welfare hostels in the State and the essential steps were taken. Amalapuram MP G.V. Harsha Kumar objected to absence of superintendent engineers of some departments in DVMC meeting which is attended by the Union Minister, Members of Parliament and MLAs.

District Collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi ordered all the departments concerned to work unitedly for the successful implementation of Central and the State Government’s schemes.

Zilla Parishad Chairman Ch Venugopala Krishna, MLAs Mutha Gopalakrishna, Dommeti Venkateswarulu, P Dorababu, B Krishnarjuna Chowdhary, K Chittabbai, Thota Venkata Narasimham, MLC G Rudraraju and other people’s representatives and officials took part in the meeting .