The Hindu Business Line : AP Govt to put Rs 450 cr in `food for work' scheme

Dr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Union Minister for Rural Development, leaves after a press conference in Hyderabad on Monday. He was in the city for a review of the `food for work' programme in four southern States. - A. Roy Chowdhury

Hyderabad , May 30

THE State Government will invest Rs 450 crore during the current financial year for the National Food For Work Programme, being implemented in eight districts.

Agreeing that there were certain lacunae in the implementation of the Centrally sponsored scheme, the State Minister for Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Mr D. Srinivas, told newspersons that efforts were on to streamline it.

In Andhra Pradesh, the scheme envisages 100 days guaranteed employment to 8-lakh families. The districts being covered are Adilabad, Mahboobnagar, Khammam, Ranga Reddy, Warangal, Nalgonda, Anantapur and Kadapa.

At least six agriculture-focussed institutes — MANAGE, NIRD, CRIDA, AFC, APARD and WASSAN have been identified for the preparation of perspective plans for these eight districts, according to the Ministry of Rural Development.

Each of the selected districts has almost completed preparation of a five-year perspective plan for each gram panchayat, mandal and the districts. The fund allocation would be made once the plans are furnished.

During 2005-06, a total of 4.93 lakh people are expected to get wage employment for 100 days or 493 lakh people days of wage employment would be created, under the programme, which aims at providing supplementary wage employment and food security to the poor.

The major outcomes that have been set for the programme during the year are development of 3.9 lakh acres of land belonging to small and marginal farmers through watershed approach; 10.5 lakh acres of land to be covered under soil and moisture conservation/water harvesting and 3,900 km of rural connectivity to be provided.

For 2004-05, the Centre had released Rs 122.2 crore and 1,25,413 tonnes of food for the eight districts under the programme.

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