Panchayats are getting abundant funds under various schemes and sarpanches should compete in speeding up development, Minister for Rural Development, Panchayatraj and IT Nara Lokesh has said.
Participating in the “Vijayotsava sabha” of Employment Guarantee Scheme at Uddandapuram in Nakkapalli mandal on Friday, he announced ₹ 80 crore for drinking water schemes under externally aided projects for Payakaraopeta. A 50-bed hospital and degree college would be considered.
He said the Centre announced a package of ₹ 25,000 crore to the State, something unprecedented, and was footing the total cost of the Polavaram project.
In the next two years, six lakh jobs- one lakh in the IT sector and five lakhs in industries- would be created, the Minister said.
He gave away cheques worth ₹1.8 crore under “Chandranna Bima” insurance scheme and laid foundation and inaugurated to works estimated at ₹51 crore.
R&B Minister Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu lauded Mr. Lokesh’s entering politics stating he had his grandfather NTR and father Chandrababu Naidu as inspiration.
MLA V. Anitha presided. Anakpalle MP Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, MLC Pappala Chalapathi Rao, ZP Chairperson Lalam Bhavani, MLAs Peela Govinda Satyanarayana, K.S.N.S. Raju, Kidari Sarveswara Rao, Panchakarla Rameshbabu, Panchayatraj Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu, Collector Pravin Kumar and Joint Collector G. Srijana participated.
Water problem
Particiating in an interaction with employment guarantee scheme workers at Bayyavaram in Kasimkota mandal, Mr. Lokesh wanted the local people’s representatives to react promptly and complain to the State-level cell for quick solution.
He enquired from them on whether they were getting wages and asked officials to act on their complaints relating to drinking water, roads, bridges, education and health.
He said their request to increase daily wage from ₹197 to ₹ 250 and from 100 days to 150 days would be represented to the Union government.
Four lakh houses were granted to the poor, he said.
