Centre ready to extend 'PURA' across State

• Jairam launches Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas scheme
• It will be implemented in Ibrahimpatnam and Kondapalli in Krishna district A
• Private firm MEIL will develop the villages on a par with urban areas
• MoU signed in the presence of CM

Ibrahimpatnam (Krishna): The Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh, said here on Sunday that the State government was ready to extend the Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) scheme for the rest of the State.

Addressing a meeting after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) on implementation of PURA scheme for Ibrahimpatnam and Kondapalli villages, he said the Central government had sanctioned the scheme for 8 villages across the country of which three were from Andhra Pradesh. He said the two villages of Ibrahimpatnam and Kondapalli in Krishna district would get all amenities like roads, drains, drinking water, street lighting and housing on par with the urban areas. He said that there were about 4,000 villages in the country which are gram panchayats on records but have the urban nature with increasing population. Out of the 4,000 such villages, which he termed as 'Trishanku villages' there were about 700 from Andhra Pradesh. Jairam Ramesh said that the government had involved private company MEIL to implement the PURA scheme. "If this project starts in next three months and is implemented successfully, we are ready to extend the same to the rest of the villages having similar features," the Minister said.

Goaded by Jayaram, CM assures A to shut belt shops

• However, the phase-out will be gradual
• Union Minister asks CM to swear by Lord Venkateswara

Eluru: Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday promised to take steps to remove 'belt' liquor shops in the State in phases. Responding to the persistent 'requests' made by the Union Minister for Rural Development, Jayaram Ramesh at an interactive meeting with the members of the women self-help groups here, he admitted that even though the shops were not licensed, the fact remained that they existed and it was not possible to close down all of them immediately. "It is difficult to close them. As the Union Minister is requesting, we will take steps to close the belt shops in phases," he added. Earlier, Union Minister Jayaram Ramesh in his speech at the meeting of the members of the women self-help groups (SHGs) at the Autonagar here said the women were vehemently opposing the belt liquor shops in the State and the Chief Minister should take steps to close them down. He went on to add that the Chief Minister should swear by Venkateswara Swamy in the presence of TTD Chairman K Bapiraju and announce the closure of all belt shops, which were ruining several families. Jayaram Ramesh almost forced the Chief Minister to respond favourably with his persistence.