The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Two facilities for families hit by tsunami announced

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 10, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Two facilities for families hit by tsunami announced

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad, Jan. 9. The Minister for Rural Development, D. Srinivas, announced two benefits for the tsunami-affected families under the Food Assurance and Velugu schemes.

The repairs undertaken by these families to their damaged nets, boats and houses will be treated as participation in the Food Assurance Scheme and wages paid accordingly in the form of rice and cash. Also, Rs 50 crores is being released to the self-help groups in the affected areas towards their Contributory Investment Fund under Velugu now renamed "Indira Kranti Patham." Using this money, these groups are expected to repair the nets, boats, houses and roads.

Marketing agency

Briefing the press on the activities of his department here on Saturday, the Minister also announced that a marketing corporation would be floated for selling the products of the self-help groups, especially DWCRA. It would ensure quality in the products and provide a market, if necessary, by organising international displays. Middlemen would be avoided and better prices assured to the beneficiaries. Referring to the Indira Prabha programme, Mr Srinivas indicated that borewells would be allowed under the land development scheme only if there was collective farming.

Borewells would not be possible in case of one or two acres. Collectors had been authorised to recommend new areas, if any, for the Food Assurance Scheme based on the drought conditions. The sarpanch would be the final authority as far as identification of beneficiaries was concerned which was undertaken at gram sabhas.

The Minister said 517 new watersheds had been sanctioned in the State for this year involving Rs 155 crores under the Rural Livelihood Project. Most suicides by farmers were due to the failure of borewells, he said, adding that the existing law would be implemented strictly to check unauthorised borewells. The Government would reward anyone detecting illegal sinking of borewells, seize equipment and blacklist geologists whose predictions on availability of water failed more than 15 per cent.

Mr Srinivas said a coordination committee had been formed with the Chief Minister as chairman and himself as vice-chairman to keep a watch on the activities of the NGOs participating in rural development programmes. He said consultants were appointed for Velugu as per the World Bank norms.

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