Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, and IT Minister N. Lokesh has said the government is considering exempting the poorest of the poor in the rural areas from remitting house tax.
A survey to this effect would begin shortly.
At a press conference here on Wednesday, Mr. Lokesh said that e-Panchayats would become a reality by December once the ongoing work on fibre grid was completed.
In fact, the work was to be completed by August, but delayed for unexplained reasons.
Swachh ambition
Mr. Lokesh said the government’s aim was to make Andhra Pradesh ‘swachh’ by 2019, and to make it a reality, the government would encourage solid waste management and vermi-compost in the rural areas.
He reiterated that all the panchayats in the district would get LED street lighting by December. An electric pole each at a distance of 30 metres, where necessary, would be erected.
Stating that the district was doing well in utilising the NREGS grants, he said prior to execution of the works, the panchayats must prepare an action plan. Mr. Lokesh said a panchayat in each constituency would be selected for underground drainage system.
Earlier, he held a closed-door review meeting on the progress of various works with officials at the ZP Conference Hall.
‘Praja durbar’
He reportedly asked the officials to concentrate on completion of toilets and improve the average wage earnings of the workers engaged under the MGNREGS. He told them that the government’s aim was to improve the income to at least ₹10,000 per month of a rural family.
At the ‘praja durbar’ earlier, TDP leaders from each of the nine Assembly constituencies submitted representations seeking supply of drinking water, CC roads, houses, among other issues.
Barring party cadres, none from the general public was present at the ‘praja durbar’.
