‘Progress possible if State schemes reach poor'

KADAPA: Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries A. Sai Prathap, on Tuesday, promised to take up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the predominant demand that National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme be aligned with agricultural operations – as it would benefit the farming community.
Progress will be possible only if government schemes reached the poorer sections, he said while inaugurating Bharat Nirman, a three-day public information campaign organised by the Union Information and Public Relations Department and the district administration on the Rajampet RDO premises.
The Minister said that the Union and State governments were creating awareness and striving to ensure that the benefits of developmental and welfare schemes reached the targeted sections of the population. Effective implementation of the schemes can only be ensured by people's participation, he said.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has been implementing all the development schemes launched by late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Mr. Sai Prathap said. The Minister said that ample funds were available for rural employment guarantee programme and also said that women should be respected and assisted to ensure their development.
Steel plant
Stating that setting up a new steel plant would take some time, he assured to apprise the Chief Minister of the matter and also recalled that 6,000 acres of land was acquired for a steel project during the YSR rule.
Kadapa district has abundant natural and mineral resources; he said and favoured setting up of several small industries rather than major industries.
Mr. Sai Prathap underscored the need to apprehend red sander smugglers and to check plunder of forest wealth and sought concerted efforts by public representatives and officials to check the plunder. Violators were walking scot free, but the poor were suffering, he remarked.
Foodgrain production
District Collector V. Anil Kumar asserted that Andhra Pradesh was developing on all fronts and was on a par with Punjab in foodgrain production. It was developing in the software sector and nearly 20 per cent of engineers from the State were working in Silicon Valley in the US, he said.
Similarly, AP students were bagging 20 per cent of seats at the IIT. However, people below the poverty line should be enlightened to optimally avail benefits under schemes meant for them, Mr. Sai Prathap said.
Adapting to change
Congress MLC B. Chengalrayulu stressed that an attitude of adapting to change for development was needed. Both the income of the people and corruption were on the rise, he said. Congress MLA from Rajampet A. Amarnath Reddy recalled that YSR set up the IIITs and introduced fee reimbursement for promoting education among rural students.