HYDERABAD: Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) has initiated steps to have a PURA (provision of urban amenities in rural areas) cluster in Mahabubnagar district with focus on science and technology.

It will strive to make the integrated rural development (IRD) programme sustainable and remunerative.

To be funded by the Union Ministry of Urban Development, the cluster will act as knowledge/agri-clinic/tele-education/tele-medicine centre and take up employment-oriented schemes.

S. Raghuvardhan Reddy, Vice-Chancellor of ANGRAU, told The Hindu that a proposal was submitted to the Ministry concerned, which has agreed, in principle, on its establishment.

He said the Centre's approval was expected in the 11th Plan that commences next month, following which the location and allocation of funds would be known.

The university had been entrusted with the responsibility of setting up these PURA cluster. A committee headed by M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman, National Commission of Farmers, had identified Mahabubnagar as one of the sites.

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in his address at the Science Congress here had spoken of at least 100 PURA centres in 2006-07.

Some 7,000 clusters are needed for uplift of 260 million people

living below poverty line (BPL) and 36 million unemployed.

The cluster is expected to take integrated and connected actions needed, especially in the areas of habitat, infrastructure, healthcare, education, employment and market connectivity.

Its basic objective is to play a role on application of scientific methods of working. It will focus on use of biogas and solar energy in household lighting and also on-farm, vermi-composting, check dams and water purification plants, jatropha plantation, cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, manufacture of healthcare products through self-help groups (SHGs) , low-cost housing using alternative building blocks, dairy farming, healthcare and education services and connectivity using wireless technologies.

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