Andhra seeks Central support for infrastructural projects

Thiruvananthapuram, July 21 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy today sought Central assistance for taking up infrastructural projects as the State Plan is already over stretched due to heavy commitments towards irrigation projects.

Speaking at the Regional Consultation on Draft Approach Paper for Eleventh Five Year Plan (South Zone), the Chief Minister said, ''Since the state was spending a huge sum on the ongoing irrigation projects, Central support in the nature of viability gap funding due to long gestation lag for the infrastructual projects became inevitable.'' Stating that one of the major challenges of the Eleventh Plan would be to reverse the deceleration witnessed in the agricultural sector since mid ninetees, he said nothing short for yet another agricultural renaissance had to be ushered in with due focus on enabling the farmer in getting his legitimate return on investment commensurate with the total efforts he had put in and without leaving him at the mercy of monsoon, middlemen and market forces.

Dr Reddy said the government would accord highest priority to irrigation and soil-water management. An ambitious plan for creating 6.5 million acres for 26 major and medium projects was under implementation.

Contrary to the argument of his Kerala counterpart V S Achuthanandan, Dr Reddy said the draft approach paper of the Planning Commission envisioned a faster growth for broadening opportunity spectrum to include all sections of the society.

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