Centre announces Rs 9,650 crore rehabilitation package

Hyderabad, Sep 30 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre had announced Rs 9,650 crore rehabilitation package for farmers in the suicide-prone districts of the state.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the package would comprise loan rescheduling, interest waiver of agri-loans and specific schemes for watershed development, seed replacement, horticulture and extension services in 16 districts identified by the Centre as suicide-prone in the state.

He said the Central Government had identified 31 districts in the country - 16 in Andhra, six in Maharashtra, six in Karnataka and three in Kerala as suicide-prone due to farmer's distress.

Dr Reddy said 65 per cent of the sanctioned amount would be given as grant and the state had to bear the remaining 35 per cent.

An amount of Rs 5,789 crore was earmaked for major, medium and small irrigation sources. About 1,500 check dams would be constructed in 16 districts during the next three years, at the rate of 500 checkdams per year.

The centre had sanctioned Rs 450 crore for the checkdams and Rs 480 crore for watershed developments in all these districts, he added.

He said the Centre had agreed to provide Rs 640 crore for drip irrigation. Animal husbandry, dairy development programmes and fish production would be taken up in 16 districts, at an amount of Rs 264 crore.

He said the Centre would provide Rs 50,000 in addition to the state relief amount of Rs 1.50 lakh under the 'Apathbandhu' scheme.

Dr Reddy said the Agricultural Technology Management Agency would coordinate with other departments like animal husbandry, fisheries and horticulture in implementing the schemes in these districts.

He said the Centre had sanctioned 80,000 houses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and sanctioned Rs 1300 crore for this purpose.

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