The Andhra Pradesh government is charting an action plan to develop 2.5 million acre of assigned land — belonging to SC, ST, and small and marginal farmers — under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Nrega) scheme at a cost of around Rs 7,000 crore in the next two years.
“The action plan is ready and work will commence on January 17, 2011. With this major initiative, barren and marginal land will become more productive and help in economic development of the farmers,” chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said in a press release on Sunday.
Directing chief secretary SV Prasad to focus on this issue, Reddy asked district collectors to make all arrangements for the Rachchabanda programme, to be conducted between January 24 and February 12. “Distribution of temporary ration card coupons (over 500,000 new ration cards will be issued) should be taken care of during the programme,” he added.
On the housing front, beneficiaries of the 470,000 houses started without sanction letters and which are at different stages of completion would be handed over the letters, and as far as possible, along with the first bill for basement level during the programme.
“The officials should also prepare a plan of action for providing infrastructure facilities in Indiramma colonies to be provided at the earliest. All the pavala vaddi (25 paise interest) dues till March 2010 will also be cleared during the programme, besides providing additional 25 job days for those who have completed 100 job days under Nrega,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister said all the works sanctioned under Rajiv Palle Bata and Nagara Bata would be taken up under a 100-day special development plan. Issue of ration cards, launch of a comprehensive package for weavers and 100 model schools, issue of Aadhaar cards in seven pilot districts and completion of 200,000 houses predominantly in SC/ST localities would also be part of the 100-day plan, Reddy said.
