Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

Minister for tab on rural development schemes

Special Correspondent

Wants to ensure that benefits reach target groups

TIRUPATI: The Union Minister for Rural Development, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, on Tuesday called for strict vigilance and close monitoring of all rural development schemes by States to ensure that their benefits fully reached the target groups.

Addressing a public meeting at Papanaidupet, 25 km from Tirupati, Mr. Singh said his Ministry had asked State Governments to identify at least 10 villages in each district for a critical study so that there was constant evaluation of schemes.

He said close monitoring was imperative because the Central allocation to the Rural Development Ministry after advent of the UPA Government had substantially increased, from Rs. 16,000 crores to Rs. 24,000 crores. Mr. Singh listed the numerous schemes conceived and launched by the UPA after coming to power, covering drinking water, health, electricity, education, roads, and women empowerment. In this connection, he cited the Rs. 4,048 crores earmarked for rural development and link roads.

Support to State

The Minister promised to support the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, in all his `initiatives' to develop the rural sector in the State. "I am ready to provide funds for drinking water, rural employment, fluoride control, revolving funds to DWCRA, dairy development and others, provided the State Government comes up with suitable proposals," he said.

Participating in a programme organised at Chaitanyapuram, a tribal village under the aegis of the RASS -- a local NGO -- he complimented its efforts and said that without uplifting the Adivasis (STs), SCs and BCs, development had no meaning as they constituted the bulk of the population.

Though Mr. Singh's deputy in the Rural Development Ministry, A. Narendra, also participated in the programmes, he was content playing the role of a translator to his senior's Hindi speech. He, however, joined him in distributing assets and revolving funds to the beneficiaries. The other participants were the Tirupati MP, Chintha Mohan, MLA, M. Venkatramana, Principal Secretary, Rural Development, K. Raju, District Collector, S.S. Rawat and General Secretary of the RASS, G. Munirathnam.

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