Jairam Ramesh cuts short visit to AP

Hyderabad, June 29 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh cut short his visit to Andhra Pradesh today and rushed back to New Delhi.

After taking part in a workshop ''Girinyayam-Land justice for tribals'' and interacting with Self-Help groups, Mr Ramesh, who was scheduled to inaugrate a unique website on implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, rushed back to the National capital due to ''unforeseen developments,'' official sources said.

In his absence State Rural Development Principal Secretary K Raju launched the website developed by the Tata Consultancy services, providing all information relating to the the Scheme launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Andhra Pradesh on February two, including the number of job cards issued, works undertaken, payments released.

Presently, the site would be updated automatically once in 15 days and once all mandals get broadband connectivity, the site would be updated daily. ''It is the computer which generates estimate for works, gives work order and releases payment,'' Mr Raju said adding that ''there is no place for contractors in the implementation of the programme.'' He said over 22,063 works in 13,000 villages were in progress and Rs 35 crore paid as wages to 7.37 lakh workers.

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