The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Delay in grounding of FFW figures in Zilla Parishad meet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 07, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Delay in grounding of FFW figures in Zilla Parishad meet

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JAN. 6. The delay in grounding of the Food-for-work (FFW) programme and non-adherence to protocol dominated proceedings at the Ranga Reddy Zilla Parishad general body meeting here on Thursday. Little discussion was seen on serious problems like drought and drinking water scarcity.

The Vice-Chairman of Zilla Parishad, S. Nanda Kumar Yadav, sought to know why the FFW programme was not being taken up though the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, had launched it in the district two months ago. He said Mr. Singh's visit generated new hope in the drought-hit district but the programme was yet to be grounded. The Collector, L. Premchandra Reddy, said the delay was due to the absence of guidelines for the programme. He, however, said they had been received two days ago and work would start immediately.

Rs. 15.4-cr. sanctioned

The Collector said Rs. 15.40 crores were sanctioned for the district apart from 15,000 tonnes of rice and hoped that it would go long way in generating employment and mitigating people's problems.

The Zilla Parishad Chairman, Kasani Gnaneshwar, requested the Collector to ensure that the amount of Rs. 33 lakhs collected as taxes from sand transportation in the district be given to the ZP, a normal practice in other districts.

Unused funds earmarked for Scheduled Castes in each department was raised by the Siddipet MP, Sarve Satyanarayana, to which the Minister for Minor Irrigation, A. Chandrasekhar, promised to organise a special meeting to discuss the specific issue.

Water scarcity

Several members expressed serious concern over drinking water scarcity and the need to take up immediate measures. However, the official response did not satisfy the members and they wanted concrete assurances and steps to be taken. The Collector promised to take up all the necessary steps. The Parigi MLA, K. Hareeshwar Reddy, was also present.

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