The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : CM promises `Intintiki Deepam' in three months

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 12, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

CM promises `Intintiki Deepam' in three months

By Our Staff Reporter

ELURU, JULY 11. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Sunday announced that his another major election promise, which aims at supplying free power to the households of weaker sections, "Intintiki Deepam'' scheme, would become a reality in three months.

Launching his one-day Rajiv Pallebata (RBP) programme at I.S. Jagannadhapuram in Dwaraka Tirumala mandal of West Godavari district, Dr Reddy asserted that introduction of the scheme was a part of the Congress party's commitment to the welfare of poor and weaker sections. The State Government is also contemplating a health insurance scheme to benefit rural artisans who were facing trying circumstances during the TDP's nine-year rule, Dr. Reddy said.

Amid cheers from the crowd, Dr Reddy said that his Government's promise of free power for agriculture would be continued throughout the five-year rule of the Congress Government in the State.

The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, for his support to the State Government's promise on free power despite the fact that the latter was of the view that it was not possible to fulfil such a promise in the era of liberalisation.

Dr Reddy also promised to take up the Polavaram irrigation project across the Godavari on a war-footing, which was need of the hour in the drought-prone upland tracts chosen for his RPB programme.

The Chief Minister, who met the family members of some farmers who committed suicide and consoled them during his visit, he urged the farming community not to lose heart and resort to the extreme step of suicide.

Recalling the Government's decision to impose a moratorium on recovery of loans by private moneylenders from farmers for six months, he sought to instil confidence in farmers by listing various steps initiated by his Government to resolve the crisis, which gripped the agriculture sector at present.

Saying that the Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Tree Act (APWALTA) was not effectively enforced during the TDP regime, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy added that his Government would promote water conservation on a large scale by creating awareness in favour of a shift from water-intensive paddy and sugarcane crops to irrigated dry crops in dry land and rain-fed areas.

He said the Government would strictly ensure that the farmers get insurance in case of borewells that fail and check indiscriminate digging of borewells to prevent depletion of the water table.

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