AP purchasing Rs seven crore power daily: YSR

Athreyapuram, East Godavari, May 12 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said the state was daily purchasing power from other places to the extent of Rs five to seven crore.

Addressing a large gathering here as part of the Praja Patham, he said the state government was taking all steps to ensure that crops were not withered away for want of power supply.

Dr Reddy said some problem in the domestic power supply would be looked into and solved soon.

Stating that government had given Rs 6.75 crore to the Self-Help Groups (SHGs), the Chief Minister said in Athreyapuram, there were 544 groups and some of them were involved in making 'putharekulu' (sweet meat) with twentyfive paise loan interest under the Indira Kranti scheme. He promised to extend loans to the tune of Rs ten to 12 crore under twentyfive paise interest loan scheme next year.

The Praja Patham programme, being implemented was intended to help the people and solve their problem, he said 12 lakh houses were constructed during the last two years.

He said surveys conducted showed that 57 lakh people had no dwellings and this would be covered in the coming three years time.

Promising all help to the farmers in the area, including the Vasanthvad lift irrigation scheme, Dr Reddy charged the previous TDP government with neglecting the farming community.

Dr Reddy sought the cooperation of the people to eradicate the dreaded AIDS disease from the state.

The Chief also laid the foundation stone for Rs 6.05 crore water supply scheme and garlanded the statue of late prime minister Indira Gandhi.

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