The Hindu Business Line : YSR unveils project outlay for East Godavari

THE State Government will spend Rs 40 crore of the loan obtained from World Bankon development of Kakinada over the next three years and besides that there will be separate schemes for improving civic amenities in the town, recently upgraded to a corporation, according to the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Dr Reddy made the announcement at a press meet here on Sunday after the conclusion of his two-day tour as a part of Rajiv Nagara Bata programme.

He said the port town was growing in importance and the existing infrastructure was not adequate to cater to the needs of the people. Drainage was a major problem and there were more than 10,000 families badly in need of shelter. He said the Government had taken up Rajiv Gruha Kalpa programme to provide low-cost housing to the urban poor.

Explaining the details, he said the beneficiary would have to bear Rs 7,000 of the Rs 1-lakh house cost.

The Government would provide Rs 30,000 and the rest would be lent by banks at low rates to be repaid in 15 years or so. He said initially 2,000 houses would be constructed here and subsequently all the homeless in the town would be covered under the scheme.

He said the State Government had sent a proposal to the Union Government for setting up a software park here. Several other port-based, gas-based industries would come up here in future, as ONGC and Reliance had struck huge gas reserves in the Krishna- Godavari basin, he said.

"It will be our endeavour to shape Kakinada into a modern town with the required facilities and amenities to attract investors,'' he said.

Earlier, at a public meeting on Saturday, local MLA Mr M. Gopalakrishna urged the Chief Minister to allocate Rs 100 crore for development of the town.

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