The Hindu 14.09.2010
Plan drawn up to make municipalities slum-free
Special Correspondent
| An estimated Rs. 25,000 crore to be used for the purpose: Minister |
New municipality building in Rajampet inaugurated
‘50 per cent quota for women in local bodies'
KADAPA: An action plan was formulated with an estimated outlay of Rs. 25,000 crore for making municipalities in the State slum-free and it would be forwarded to the Centre for approval, Minister for Municipal Administration Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said on Monday.
Andhra Pradesh was the first State to introduce 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, he said after inaugurating the new municipality building in Rajampet. New buildings were being constructed for 59 municipalities out of 125 in the State, he said.
The Minister, who inaugurated new buildings for Rajampet and Jammalamadugu municipalities, said they were constructed with funds sanctioned by former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Developmental works worth Rs. 65.50 crore were undertaken in Rajampet Municipality in the last five years, he said.
The Centre was spending Rs. 12,000 crore on Rajiv Awas Yojana this year and Rs, 5,000 crore was being spent in 25 municipalities in the State, Mr. Reddy said. The funds were sanctioned on the initiative of Union Ministers -- S. Jaipal Reddy and A. Sai Prathap -- and YSR, he said.
YSR's goal
Minister for Roads and Buildings G. Aruna Kumari recalled YSR's goal of making one crore women as ‘lakhiers' and added that Chief Minister K. Rosaiah was continuing schemes launched by YSR.
Mr. Sai Prathap said Rs. 42 crore was being spent on augmenting drinking water supply in Rajampet Municipality. He assured to apprise Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa in November the need to halt Sampark Kranthi Express at Rajampet.
Railway Kodur MLA K. Srinivasulu, Rajampet MLA A. Amarnath Reddy, DCCB chairman K. Brahmananda Reddy, Rajampet municipal chairperson M. Srivani, Collector Shashi Bhushan Kumar and Rajampet RDO Padmaja were present.
