Date:14/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/14/stories/2008061452350300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Expedite housing scheme: Minister

Staff Reporter

‘Ready houses under first phase by July-end’

Minister takes part in DRC meeting
Fertilizer scarcity, other issues also discussed

Kakinada: Minister for Panchayat Raj and district in-charge J.C. Diwakar Reddy expressed dissatisfaction with the tardy progress of the Indiramma housing scheme. He ordered that houses under the first phase should be completed by the end of July. He instructed Collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi to take a serious view of the reasons for the delay when compared to other districts and to convene a meeting to exclusively discuss the subject on July 3.

Addressing the District Review Committee meeting at the Zilla Parishad meeting hall here on Friday,

Mr. Reddy said that even after the officials were alerted about the consequences of slow progress on the Indiramma scheme, the situation still appeared bleak due to the callous attitude of the officials concerned. He warned that their failure to meet deadlines would no longer be tolerated.

Collector Dwivedi said that he was monitoring the Indiramma scheme regularly and that he had directed the concerned officials to expedite their work or face disciplinary action since further delay was causing cost escalation.

Land acquisition

With regard to land acquisition, Joint Collector G.S.R.K.R. Vijay Kumar told the Minister that 36,000 house pattas were issued against the target of 46,447. Steps were taken to distribute the remaining pattas under the second phase. Some of the lands concerned were mired in litigation and others were pending clearance at various stages.

The Minister instructed the Agriculture Department to take steps to prevent the scarcity of fertilizers which would badly affect farmers in the coming crop season. He said that the MARKFED was also asked to make adequate quantities of fertilizers available to farmers. Steps were also taken to ensure availability of seed and other farm inputs to help farmers.

Social Welfare Minister P. Subhas Chandra Bose stressed the need to focus on the Indiramma scheme which promised to help the poor. Other sectors also require due priority to help the needy in time. Zilla Parishad chairman Ch. Venugopala Krishna, MLAs — Mutha Gopalakrishna, A Bullabbai Reddy, V. Subba Rao, MLCs —— N. Chinna Rajappa, N. Sesha Reddy and others participated.

Media barred

Media personnel were kept away from the meeting for the second time in recent months at the behest of Mr. Diwakar Reddy who did not hide his dislike for publicity to the proceedings.