DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: The Government of India’s move to enact the National Food Security Act is causing jitters in the Andhra Pradesh government.
For, it may not only lose huge quantities of rice and other commodities under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) but will also be forced to cut down heavily on its populist welfare schemes, what with the gross scaling down of number of below poverty line (BPL) families in accordance with the Planning Commission of India norms.
Now, taking a cue from Bihar, the state government has shot off a missive today to the Centre objecting to the “artificially low number of BPL families fixed by the Government of India.” AP has also opposed the “ceiling” on the number of BPL families as stipulated by the Planning Commission.
Andhra Pradesh currently has a ridiculous number of 2.20 crore BPL cards through which it has been supplying three lakh tonnes of rice at a highly-subsidised price of Rs 2-a-kg, with the subsidy bill crossing over Rs 4000 crore this year.
Moreover, the government has promised to increase the rice distribution from 20 kgs per family to 30 kgs from October and proportionately the rice requirement too will shoot up.
The state government it self admitted that of the 2.20 crore cards, more than 65 lakh could be bogus. Though it promised to weed out the bogus ration cards, the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is yet to initiate any action in this regard.
The Planning Commissioner, however, estimated the BPL families in AP to be around 41 lakh only. The Planning Commission’s estimate will form the basis for rice allocation from the Centre to the state under the proposed NFSA and this will result in a drastic cut in the allocation. “Our fear is that we may end up receiving not more than 50,000 tonnes if the number of BPL families is fixed at 41 lakh. This will result in a chaos as we will not be in a position to supply rice to all,” a top government source pointed out.
The Centre has circulated a concept note on the proposed NFSA to all states in which it mentioned that the “presently accepted number of BPL families” across the country is just 6.52 crore.
The state government has disputed this claim and noted that the number of BPL families fixed by the Government of India is “artificially low.”
It quoted the Arjun Sengupta Committee’s report to justify the high number of BPL families in the state and wanted the Centre to rework its estimates. “Given the ground realities, the state’s estimates on BPL families cannot be overlooked at any cost,” the AP government reportedly said in the letter to the Centre.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
With age changes YSR's mind
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: Being in power for the past five years, and the possibility that he could set a record of being the longest-serving Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, probably is making Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to amend his thoughts. For, he no longer believes that 60 is the age for politicians to retire. “When I was 50 years old, I thought 60 was the age for retirement. But now I don’t subscribe to that,” Rajasekhara Reddy – who completed 100 days as Chief Minister in his second successive stint -- said in an informal interaction with journalists in the state Assembly today. “People have now started calling me a fitness freak and thus things have changed,” he remarked. Rajasekhara Reddy celebrated his 60th birthday on July 8 this year. He would become the largest-serving Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh if he completes his second full term till May 2014, thus beating his bête noire N Chandrababu Naidu’s record of eight years and nine months.
Hyderabad: Being in power for the past five years, and the possibility that he could set a record of being the longest-serving Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, probably is making Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to amend his thoughts. For, he no longer believes that 60 is the age for politicians to retire. “When I was 50 years old, I thought 60 was the age for retirement. But now I don’t subscribe to that,” Rajasekhara Reddy – who completed 100 days as Chief Minister in his second successive stint -- said in an informal interaction with journalists in the state Assembly today. “People have now started calling me a fitness freak and thus things have changed,” he remarked. Rajasekhara Reddy celebrated his 60th birthday on July 8 this year. He would become the largest-serving Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh if he completes his second full term till May 2014, thus beating his bête noire N Chandrababu Naidu’s record of eight years and nine months.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Nitish Kumar turns BIHAR into a model state
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: From a state that had been a synonym for maladministration, Bihar has now emerged as a role model for other states in the country through its “Aapki Sarkar – Aapke Dwaar” programme.
The Government of India has asked nine states that are affected by Left-wing extremism (naxalite menace) to “adopt” Bihar’s novel initiative of providing essential services to people in gram panchayats through a convergence model within a composite campus.
“Every Panchayat should, as is being done under “Aapki Sarkar Aapke
Dwaar” programme of Bihar, provide important essential services such as Public Distribution System, health, banking, NREGS office, post office, police station, residential quarters, etc. “in one secure compound” by convergence of the existing programmes through integrated participatory plans. This is needed urgently in at least the 33 most extremist-affected districts,” the Union Panchayati Raj Ministry said in a recent circular to Chief Secretaries of nine extremist-affected states.
Funds for setting up the composite campuses with buildings would be provided under the BRGF and the respective Central and state schemes, on the pattern of “Aapki Sarkar Aapke Dwaar” of Bihar, the Ministry added.
The Centre has identified 76 districts in nine states as extremist-affected, including 33 most affected districts, with the outlawed Maoists forming a “Naxal Corridor.”
The nine states are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The Union Ministry pointed out that “weak governance structures and weakness of the local administration” are both “the cause and the effect” of Left-wing extremism. It wanted the affected states to improve quality of governance and service delivery by delegating sufficient administrative and financial powers to the panchayat raj institutions.
Solution to the Left-wing extremism lied in ensuring “people-centric good governance, adopting participatory and holistic approach to development, planning and implementation (which also addresses issues of agricultural productivity, livelihood opportunities & skills), innovative use of Backward Regions Growth Fund grants to address the specific local problems, updating and computerizing land records including forest land & Common Property Resources and adopting an integrated strategy for tackling development and security challenges,” the Ministry noted.
While 67 out of 76 extremist-affected districts were initially included under BRGF, the remaining districts were being included now for financial assistance. Of the total, 43 extremist-affected districts would get Rs 20 crore each under BRGF and 33 most-affected districts would get Rs 40 crore each after the GoI doubled the grants.
The Ministry also suggested formulation of guidelines for reviving and strengthening the Chowkidari system as the effective bridge between the Community and the Police. “The role of community policing needs to be strengthened through the mechanism of gram sabha, while the Ministry of Home Affairs is operating a scheme for filling the deficiencies in police infrastructure,” the PR Ministry said.
Hyderabad: From a state that had been a synonym for maladministration, Bihar has now emerged as a role model for other states in the country through its “Aapki Sarkar – Aapke Dwaar” programme.
The Government of India has asked nine states that are affected by Left-wing extremism (naxalite menace) to “adopt” Bihar’s novel initiative of providing essential services to people in gram panchayats through a convergence model within a composite campus.
“Every Panchayat should, as is being done under “Aapki Sarkar Aapke
Dwaar” programme of Bihar, provide important essential services such as Public Distribution System, health, banking, NREGS office, post office, police station, residential quarters, etc. “in one secure compound” by convergence of the existing programmes through integrated participatory plans. This is needed urgently in at least the 33 most extremist-affected districts,” the Union Panchayati Raj Ministry said in a recent circular to Chief Secretaries of nine extremist-affected states.
Funds for setting up the composite campuses with buildings would be provided under the BRGF and the respective Central and state schemes, on the pattern of “Aapki Sarkar Aapke Dwaar” of Bihar, the Ministry added.
The Centre has identified 76 districts in nine states as extremist-affected, including 33 most affected districts, with the outlawed Maoists forming a “Naxal Corridor.”
The nine states are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The Union Ministry pointed out that “weak governance structures and weakness of the local administration” are both “the cause and the effect” of Left-wing extremism. It wanted the affected states to improve quality of governance and service delivery by delegating sufficient administrative and financial powers to the panchayat raj institutions.
Solution to the Left-wing extremism lied in ensuring “people-centric good governance, adopting participatory and holistic approach to development, planning and implementation (which also addresses issues of agricultural productivity, livelihood opportunities & skills), innovative use of Backward Regions Growth Fund grants to address the specific local problems, updating and computerizing land records including forest land & Common Property Resources and adopting an integrated strategy for tackling development and security challenges,” the Ministry noted.
While 67 out of 76 extremist-affected districts were initially included under BRGF, the remaining districts were being included now for financial assistance. Of the total, 43 extremist-affected districts would get Rs 20 crore each under BRGF and 33 most-affected districts would get Rs 40 crore each after the GoI doubled the grants.
The Ministry also suggested formulation of guidelines for reviving and strengthening the Chowkidari system as the effective bridge between the Community and the Police. “The role of community policing needs to be strengthened through the mechanism of gram sabha, while the Ministry of Home Affairs is operating a scheme for filling the deficiencies in police infrastructure,” the PR Ministry said.
Chiranjeevi's anguish
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: With questions being raised over the party’s survival less than a week ahead of its first anniversary, Praja Rajyam chief K Chiranjeevi has asserted that no force, except the people, could eliminate his outfit. Expressing serious anguish over reports in a section of the vernacular media that the PRP might soon be merged with the ruling Congress party, Chiranjeevi said such “fabricated stories” were part of a “deep-rooted conspiracy” by two newspapers on behalf of a political party. The PRP chief maintained that staying neutral was his political agenda. “How can I be close to either the Congress or the TDP and how many times should I prove my neutrality,” Chiranjeevi wondered. “The party (Telugu Desam) sees us (PRP) as an obstacle in its path to power. Hence this baseless and false campaign against us,” Chiranjeevi alleged. It was neither for the TDP nor the two newspapers to decide whether or not the PRP should exist, Chiranjeevi pointed out, adding that the people were the ultimate judges in this regard. “I am proud that 70 lakh voters of the state have solidly backed us in the recent elections. It is not even hundred days since the verdict has been delivered but efforts are on in full swing to bury the PRP,” Chiranjeevi lamented. The actor-turned-politician reiterated that he was into politics with a plain heart and a single-point agenda of serving the people. Asked how he planned to counter the political conspiracy, Chiranjeevi said: “By taking up people’s cause and fighting for them.”
A day earlier, Chiranjeevi was taken aback by a “sustained campaign” about the possible desertion of his party MLAs to other camps, notably the ruling Congress. But he asserted that all the 18 legislators were “solidly behind me.” “I am perplexed why the media is going to town daily with reports that PRP MLAs are likely to jump into other parties. The media seems to be specifically targeting MLAs from one district per day. None of the reports is true and all the MLAs are very much with me,” Chiranjeevi said. He quipped that the vernacular newspapers might well carry a story saying he too would be switching over to some other party one day. The PRP was being deliberately targeted by the media with the only intention of weakening it, he felt. “But people of the state are solidly behind me. History will be re-written if I undertake a complete tour of the state. I will take PRP to the number one position in the next four and a half years,” Chiranjeevi vowed. Maintaining that he did not float the Praja Rajyam Party with any political ambitions or vested interests, Chiranjeevi stressed that serving the people was his only agenda.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
'Fab'ulous dreams lie shattered
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh’s dream of emerging as the largest cluster of semiconductor manufacturing units suffered yet another jolt with the promoters of the Rs 2500 crore semiconductor fab unit backing out of the project. The promoters – Nano-Tech Silicon India Private Limited – have merged their company with TF Solar Power Private Limited to develop a thin film solar cell fab project instead of the semiconductor fab unit. Of course, both the companies are promoted by June Min and he informed the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, the nodal agency for implementing the Fab City project, that efforts to set up the semiconductor fab unit in India “have not materialized” and hence the merger. Left with no other option, the Andhra Pradesh government has approved the merger and issued an order allotting 50 acres of land at the so-called Fab City to the new entity. The land, which was earlier allotted free-of-cost, has now been leased at a premium of Rs 10 lakh per acre and a two per cent lease rental for 33 years. The concessions extended to Nano-Tech Silicon India for setting up the semiconductor fab unit have also been revoked since the project has not been taken up. The Andhra Pradesh government conceived the Fab City project as the largest cluster of semi-conductor manufacturing units in the country. SemIndia group, which has been allotted 100 acres at the Fab City was the first one to back out, citing “worldwide downturn in semi-conductor manufacturing.” Now, some companies have come forward to set up photovoltaic or solar cell units that are smaller in size. Companies like XL Telecom and Energy, KSK Surya Photovoltaic Ventures, Solar Semiconductor and Surana Ventures Ltd. are setting up these units while some other companies are also ready to step in. “The long gestation period, coupled with high costs of establishment, has been keeping promoters away from the semiconductor units given the current financial slowdown across the world. While an investment of about 2 to 3 billion USD is required for a semiconductor manufacturing unit, a small investment of Rs 200 crore to Rs 300 crore is sufficient for setting up solar cell units,” officials pointed out. This is, however, not a comforting factor for the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy government which promised creation of lakhs of jobs through major projects like the Fab City. With major companies backing out of big ticket projects, the job potential in the state is drastically reduced.
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh’s dream of emerging as the largest cluster of semiconductor manufacturing units suffered yet another jolt with the promoters of the Rs 2500 crore semiconductor fab unit backing out of the project. The promoters – Nano-Tech Silicon India Private Limited – have merged their company with TF Solar Power Private Limited to develop a thin film solar cell fab project instead of the semiconductor fab unit. Of course, both the companies are promoted by June Min and he informed the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, the nodal agency for implementing the Fab City project, that efforts to set up the semiconductor fab unit in India “have not materialized” and hence the merger. Left with no other option, the Andhra Pradesh government has approved the merger and issued an order allotting 50 acres of land at the so-called Fab City to the new entity. The land, which was earlier allotted free-of-cost, has now been leased at a premium of Rs 10 lakh per acre and a two per cent lease rental for 33 years. The concessions extended to Nano-Tech Silicon India for setting up the semiconductor fab unit have also been revoked since the project has not been taken up. The Andhra Pradesh government conceived the Fab City project as the largest cluster of semi-conductor manufacturing units in the country. SemIndia group, which has been allotted 100 acres at the Fab City was the first one to back out, citing “worldwide downturn in semi-conductor manufacturing.” Now, some companies have come forward to set up photovoltaic or solar cell units that are smaller in size. Companies like XL Telecom and Energy, KSK Surya Photovoltaic Ventures, Solar Semiconductor and Surana Ventures Ltd. are setting up these units while some other companies are also ready to step in. “The long gestation period, coupled with high costs of establishment, has been keeping promoters away from the semiconductor units given the current financial slowdown across the world. While an investment of about 2 to 3 billion USD is required for a semiconductor manufacturing unit, a small investment of Rs 200 crore to Rs 300 crore is sufficient for setting up solar cell units,” officials pointed out. This is, however, not a comforting factor for the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy government which promised creation of lakhs of jobs through major projects like the Fab City. With major companies backing out of big ticket projects, the job potential in the state is drastically reduced.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
AP to teach Disaster Management
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: Disaster management will form part of high school syllabus in Andhra Pradesh from the 2010-11 academic year.
The Disaster Management Department has requested the Director of School Education to include Disaster Management as a subject in classes VII to X in a phased manner from the next academic year. The course would cover nature and types of disasters, need for their management, challenges and precautions needed to be taken to mitigate the affects and related aspects, according to Commissioner for Disaster Management Dinesh Kumar.
“Education and communication in disaster management plays a pivotal role in creating awareness, mobilizing people and also helps in capacity building by transferring knowledge, skills and technique to the people. Disaster management as a part of the syllabus in school subjects invariably aims at providing children with knowledge, attitudes and skills so that they are equipped to contribute meaningfully towards the betterment and solve the problems of environment and also protect oneself,” Dinesh Kumar pointed out.
As a first step, the Disaster Management Department has asked the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) to draft the curriculum for the course in consultation with experts from the National Council of Education Research and Training and Osmania University. Faculty from the University Grants Commission would also assist the team in drafting the curriculum.
“A series of workshops will be held at the A Madhava Reddy AP Academy of Rural Development here from August to identify the topics and develop the course content. Scope of the contents will be finalized by the experts and submitted to the government for approval,” a senior official in the Disaster Management Department said.
Andhra Pradesh would probably become the first state in the country to have Disaster Management as a subject in the school curriculum.
Hyderabad: Disaster management will form part of high school syllabus in Andhra Pradesh from the 2010-11 academic year.
The Disaster Management Department has requested the Director of School Education to include Disaster Management as a subject in classes VII to X in a phased manner from the next academic year. The course would cover nature and types of disasters, need for their management, challenges and precautions needed to be taken to mitigate the affects and related aspects, according to Commissioner for Disaster Management Dinesh Kumar.
“Education and communication in disaster management plays a pivotal role in creating awareness, mobilizing people and also helps in capacity building by transferring knowledge, skills and technique to the people. Disaster management as a part of the syllabus in school subjects invariably aims at providing children with knowledge, attitudes and skills so that they are equipped to contribute meaningfully towards the betterment and solve the problems of environment and also protect oneself,” Dinesh Kumar pointed out.
As a first step, the Disaster Management Department has asked the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) to draft the curriculum for the course in consultation with experts from the National Council of Education Research and Training and Osmania University. Faculty from the University Grants Commission would also assist the team in drafting the curriculum.
“A series of workshops will be held at the A Madhava Reddy AP Academy of Rural Development here from August to identify the topics and develop the course content. Scope of the contents will be finalized by the experts and submitted to the government for approval,” a senior official in the Disaster Management Department said.
Andhra Pradesh would probably become the first state in the country to have Disaster Management as a subject in the school curriculum.
National Technical Research Organisation's facility in Hyderabad
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: More than two years after Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy made an announcement over the setting up of National Technical Research Organisation in Hyderabad, the Andhra Pradesh government has allotted 37.17 acres of land to the specialized technical intelligence agency of the country for setting up its Strategic Facility Centre in the state.
NTRO is an apex scientific organization functioning under the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office. It is engaged in development and deployment of systems for national security.
The state, Cabinet that met here two days ago, approved the proposal to hand over the land at Shamirpet in Ranga Reddy district to the apex organization, whose activities include aviation, remote sensing, data gathering and processing, cyber security, crypto systems, strategic hardware and software development and also strategic monitoring.
NTRO’s Strategic Facility Centre would come up at Shamirpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad, according to a Cabinet minister.
It was in May 2007 that the Chief Minister announced the setting up of NTRO in Hyderabad but it took over two years for the state government to allot required land for the project. “It is mostly due to procedural delays. But now everything has been cleared from our side,” the minister pointed out.
State government officials say the NTRO would have a catalytic effect on Information Technology establishments here by creating security-related professionals, products and services. The NTRO would also have a Disaster Recovery Centre as part of a national information repository exchange, the officials add.
A National Information Infrastructure Protection Centre will also be part of the NTRO. NIIPC, which is supposed to be India's first hi-tech critical infrastructure protection centre, will engage in research and development in information protection making use of the IT industry and educational institutions in Hyderabad. “This way, the NTRO centre will have a major catalytic effect on IT establishments in our state,” a senior official in the Chief Minister’s Office said.
The NTRO will also include the National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development (NICRD), a premier institute and first-of-its-kind in Asia. The NICRD will create a pool of experts in information security for industry and government. It will also design and develop encryption products for national security applications, government sources said. It will have state-of-the-art laboratories like simulation labs and digital fortress labs for financial security. It will have linkages with academic institutions and industries, the sources added.
Hyderabad: More than two years after Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy made an announcement over the setting up of National Technical Research Organisation in Hyderabad, the Andhra Pradesh government has allotted 37.17 acres of land to the specialized technical intelligence agency of the country for setting up its Strategic Facility Centre in the state.
NTRO is an apex scientific organization functioning under the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office. It is engaged in development and deployment of systems for national security.
The state, Cabinet that met here two days ago, approved the proposal to hand over the land at Shamirpet in Ranga Reddy district to the apex organization, whose activities include aviation, remote sensing, data gathering and processing, cyber security, crypto systems, strategic hardware and software development and also strategic monitoring.
NTRO’s Strategic Facility Centre would come up at Shamirpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad, according to a Cabinet minister.
It was in May 2007 that the Chief Minister announced the setting up of NTRO in Hyderabad but it took over two years for the state government to allot required land for the project. “It is mostly due to procedural delays. But now everything has been cleared from our side,” the minister pointed out.
State government officials say the NTRO would have a catalytic effect on Information Technology establishments here by creating security-related professionals, products and services. The NTRO would also have a Disaster Recovery Centre as part of a national information repository exchange, the officials add.
A National Information Infrastructure Protection Centre will also be part of the NTRO. NIIPC, which is supposed to be India's first hi-tech critical infrastructure protection centre, will engage in research and development in information protection making use of the IT industry and educational institutions in Hyderabad. “This way, the NTRO centre will have a major catalytic effect on IT establishments in our state,” a senior official in the Chief Minister’s Office said.
The NTRO will also include the National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development (NICRD), a premier institute and first-of-its-kind in Asia. The NICRD will create a pool of experts in information security for industry and government. It will also design and develop encryption products for national security applications, government sources said. It will have state-of-the-art laboratories like simulation labs and digital fortress labs for financial security. It will have linkages with academic institutions and industries, the sources added.
Andhra Pradesh seeking alms
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government is seeking alms with both hands, literally.
On one hand, the state is seeking an additional Rs 2,000 crore from the Government of India under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and, on the other, is requesting “donors” to contribute a sum of Rs 54.90 crore to keep the programme going.
Ironically, the state boasts of earmarking a whopping Rs 4,800 crore for the NREGP in this year’s budget but is now looking towards donors to chip in with a sum of Rs 54.90 crore to run the programme itself.
Rural Development Principal Secretary K Raju wrote a letter to all district Collectors asking them to mobilize donations from “service-oriented” individuals\organisations to purchase work tools like crowbars and spades.
“It is necessary to supply 1000 crowbars and 1000 spades to 2000 labourers in a mandal at a cost of Rs five lakh. In order to ensure minimum wages to labourers, it is essential that productivity norms are maintained. District Water Management Authorities made sincere attempts to procure implements but have not been able to make them available due to various procurement related issues,” the Principal Secretary pointed out in the letter to the Collectors.
Since availability of adequate number of implements with the labour was one factor that influences productivity, the Collectors were asked to explore the possibilities of motivating “service-oriented” individuals\organisations to buy the implements in the open market and supply to the labourers as a “token of solidarity” with the toiling masses who were facing severe distress on account of the failed monsoon.
The NREGP is being implemented in 1098 out of the 1128 mandals in the state. At Rs five lakh per mandals, the crowbars and spades would cost a sum of Rs 54.90 crore for all the NREGP mandals.
“Demand for work under the NREGP has increased manifold because of the prevailing drought conditions in the state. We are required to start more works in tune with the demand and hence the demand for implements like crowbars and spades. Hence we are seeking donations from public for a noble cause,” a top official in the Rural Development Department said. By saving Rs 54.90 crore of government money, more people could be provided wage employment under the programme, he reasoned.
A district Collector remarked that the basic idea behind this was to “sensitise people” about the enormity of the situation and also the programme. “By making a contribution, donors may feel the empathy towards the distressed people,” the Collector observed.
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government is seeking alms with both hands, literally.
On one hand, the state is seeking an additional Rs 2,000 crore from the Government of India under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and, on the other, is requesting “donors” to contribute a sum of Rs 54.90 crore to keep the programme going.
Ironically, the state boasts of earmarking a whopping Rs 4,800 crore for the NREGP in this year’s budget but is now looking towards donors to chip in with a sum of Rs 54.90 crore to run the programme itself.
Rural Development Principal Secretary K Raju wrote a letter to all district Collectors asking them to mobilize donations from “service-oriented” individuals\organisations to purchase work tools like crowbars and spades.
“It is necessary to supply 1000 crowbars and 1000 spades to 2000 labourers in a mandal at a cost of Rs five lakh. In order to ensure minimum wages to labourers, it is essential that productivity norms are maintained. District Water Management Authorities made sincere attempts to procure implements but have not been able to make them available due to various procurement related issues,” the Principal Secretary pointed out in the letter to the Collectors.
Since availability of adequate number of implements with the labour was one factor that influences productivity, the Collectors were asked to explore the possibilities of motivating “service-oriented” individuals\organisations to buy the implements in the open market and supply to the labourers as a “token of solidarity” with the toiling masses who were facing severe distress on account of the failed monsoon.
The NREGP is being implemented in 1098 out of the 1128 mandals in the state. At Rs five lakh per mandals, the crowbars and spades would cost a sum of Rs 54.90 crore for all the NREGP mandals.
“Demand for work under the NREGP has increased manifold because of the prevailing drought conditions in the state. We are required to start more works in tune with the demand and hence the demand for implements like crowbars and spades. Hence we are seeking donations from public for a noble cause,” a top official in the Rural Development Department said. By saving Rs 54.90 crore of government money, more people could be provided wage employment under the programme, he reasoned.
A district Collector remarked that the basic idea behind this was to “sensitise people” about the enormity of the situation and also the programme. “By making a contribution, donors may feel the empathy towards the distressed people,” the Collector observed.
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