ONGOLE: The District Review Committee (DRC) meeting held here on Saturday thanked the Government for declaring 42 out of total 56 mandals in the district drought affected and for releasing Rs. 14 crores for implementing employment guarantee programme in them. It also resolved to request the government to declare the remaining 14 mandals too drought affected.

Addressing the meeting, Markapur MLA K.P. Konda Reddy expressed surprise as to how these 14 rainfed mandals were left out while several mandals with facility for canal irrigation were declared drought affected. He demanded that the entire district should be declared drought hit.

Directive to Collector

Minister for Rural Development D. Srinivas, who is the in-charge Minister for Prakasam district, was in the chair. He hauled up agricultural officials for failure to supply seed to farmers. He asked Collector B. Udaya Lakshmi to convene a meeting with officials concerned and sort out the issue immediately as it would be reviewed by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy during his visit to the district on November 5.

Kondepi MLA Pothula Rama Rao complained that agricultural officials could not supply blackgram seed to farmers. While farmers wanted Kak 2 and Mexican Bold varieties of Bengal gram, they were supplying Annagari variety.

Mr. Srinivas took serious note of the lapse and directed agricultural officials to put their demand for seed by March and supply seed as desired by farmers to help them switch over to alternative crops.

He expressed happiness over the progress of housing in Indiramma model villages in which Prakasam district became one of the best districts. He asked officials to rectify any mistakes, hasten land acquisition, supply raw material on time, make prompt payment for houses constructed and inform people about increased quantum of loan sanctioned under various programmes to encourage all eligible families construct pucca houses as desired by the Chief Minister.

Mr. Srinivas turned down the demand of Giddalur MLA Pagadala Ramaiah to execute Bhivagundala project to supply drinking water to Giddalur and 14 other villages at a cost of Rs. 12 crores for which Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone.

Mr. Ramaiah did not agree with officials that adequate water is not available in the selected source. The Minister felt that such technical details should better be left to experts.

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