The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : SHGs floor Finance Commission members

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Wednesday, Jul 22, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

SHGs floor Finance Commission members

Staff Reporter

‘State doing well in growth rate and GDP, but lagging in education’

Members shocked to see 23 students of five classes sitting on the floor in a single room
Mahila Samkhyas taking up cases of family and land disputes impresses them

— Photo: MOHD ARIF

Pathetic: Finance Commission members during their visit to a school in Lingampally village of Medak district on Tuesday.

LINGAMPALLY (Medak Dt.): The 13th Finance Commission Joint Secretary Sumith Bose, who visited Medak district on Tuesday along with two other members, described the performance of self-help groups (SHGs) in district as ‘impressive and excellent.’

Speaking to reporters after the visit along with Commission’s Economic Adviser Rohit Roy, Mr. Bose said that the women groups’ movement in the State was gaining strength day by day.

Refuses to compare

However, refusing to compare the development in Andhra Pradesh with that of other States on the ground that there would be various reasons, Mr. Bose said that the State was doing well in growth rate and gross domestic product while lagging in some areas like education.

The team members first visited New Hunnapur in Pulkal mandal where a water tank is under construction with the financial assistance from the 12th Finance Commission.

The locals informed the members that the water supply would cater the needs of around 50,000 population spread over 23 habitations. Some of the women urged the Commission to provide more work for them locally.

The members were taken aback when they visited a school located nearby where 23 students of five classes were sitting on the floor in a single room with no furniture.

Meet farmers

On the way to Lingampally, they met farmers in a field where they enquired about implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and to which extent it was useful for them. All the members responded positively stating they were able to work in their own fields instead of working for others.

At Lingampally, the SHG members told the team how their living standards had improved. The members were more impressed by Mahila Samkhyas taking up the cases of legal tussle in the family and addressing land disputes at their level.

The team was accompanied by Collector L. Sashidhar, Joint Collector Ram Shankar Naik, DRDA Project Director Srinivas Baba and other senior officials.

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