The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Fifty more days of work under NREGS

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Monday, Jul 06, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Fifty more days of work under NREGS

Staff Reporter

Twelve lakh acres of forest land to be distributed to 3 lakh tribals over two weeks

— Photo: S. Rambabu

TRIBAL WELFARE: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy distributing land pattas to tribal women at Rampachodavaram on Sunday.

Rampachodavaram (East Godavari Dt.): Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said here on Sunday that employment for 50 more days would be provided under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), as requested by those seeking to make the maximum use of it.

Now work was being provided for 100 days for daily wages ranging from Rs. 100 to Rs.120. The government resolved to take up protected water schemes in all tribal habitations in two years to ensure access to safe drinking water in the Agency areas. It decided to distribute 12 lakh acres of land to three lakh beneficiaries under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (Forest Rights Act). This process will be completed in about two weeks. The legislation envisages permanent rights for tribals to cultivate the forest lands.

Cultivation of crops

Dr. Reddy told an impressive gathering of tribals at the Government Junior College that rubber, coffee plantations and the cultivation of other crops could be taken up in lands with financial assistance of ITDA and other departments. Besides, borewells would be sanctioned liberally to help irrigate crops. A budget of Rs. 20 crore was being made for land distribution.

Regarding drinking water in tribal areas, he said steps were being taken to supply mineral water in addition to protected water. This was to prevent water-borne diseases like malaria. Mosquito control measures were being launched on a war-footing. Efforts were on to sanction house-sites to poor non-tribals in Agency areas, which were hampered by a court case.

Promises more work

Dr. Reddy said tribals helped the government in mitigating the extremist problem by making full use of development/welfare schemes in Agency areas and promised to continue the good work done in the last five years. He distributed pattas to some beneficiaries, adding to 25,000 acres in Agency areas of the district.

Ministers P. Balaraju, Botcha Satyanarayana, P. Viswaroop and P. Ramachandra Reddy, T. Ratnabai, MP, MLAs K.V.V. Satyanarayana Reddy, T.V. Narasimham, ZP Chairman Ch. Venugopala Krishna, Collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi, ITDA (Rampachodavaram) project officer Yogita Rana were present.

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