ANANTAPUR: Officials of Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa districts were told to focus on the comprehensive development of Maoist-affected and remote areas at a review meeting here on the Remote and Inaccessible Areas Development (RIAD) programme.

Collectors of Anantapur and Kurnool, SP of Kurnool, OSDs and officials of seven departments of the three districts attended the meeting chaired by Principal Secretary of RIAD M.V.P. Shastry.

The RIAD official explained that the scheme was taken up to reduce the impact of Maoists by intensifying development programmes in such areas. He asked the officials to concentrate on generating employment for youth to prevent them from taking to extremism.

Civic activities

Improvement of roads, drinking water facility, wage employment and land development should be given preference in these areas, Mr. Shastry said.

He asked the officials to identify skills of youth and help them take up self-employment activities.

There were 95 villages in Kurnool, 70 in Kadapa and 55 in Anantapur under the scheme.

Army recruitment

Training centres must be set up to prepare the youth of remote areas for Army recruitment , OSD of Kadapa A.S.C. Wesley suggested. Residential training centres for women were also favoured in Anantapur district.

Anantapur Range DIG of Police N. Jayarami Reddy felt that monitoring cells were required for better implementation of the scheme.

Accordingly, it was decided to set up district-level monitoring cells in the three districts.

The RIAD official said that there was no dearth of funds for the scheme and directed the district officials to settle all land disputes in the villages selected for the scheme within six months.

He also suggested taking legal assistance if necessary.

He also directed the officials to conduct medical camps in all villages.

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