44 lakh get employment under NREGP in AP: Minister

Hyderabad, July 19 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Rural Development and NREGP Minister G Chinna Reddy today informed the Legislative Council that 44.1 lakh people in 13 notified districts were provided wage employment under NREGP during 2006-07.

Replying to a question by Yelamanchili Venkata Babu Rajendra Prasad, Palle Raghunatha Reddy and Anumula Revanth Reddy of the TDP, the Minister said six more districts had been notified for the implementation of the programme during 2007-08.

Admitting that certain irregularities were reported while implementing the NREGP scheme, he said three additional programme officers, four computer operators, 47 technical assistants and 308 field assistants were removed from service.

Disciplinary action had been initiated against four mandal engineers and nine MPDOs, he added.

Panchayat Raj Minister Diwakar Reddy told the House that there were vacancies for non-teaching posts in Mandal Parishad Development Offices and Zilla Parishad Development Offices, which were being filled up through promotions.

Municipal Administration Minister Koneru Ranga Rao told the Council that water supply in Guntur city was affected in summer due to power failure.

To make up for the deficit in supply of drinking water to the city, water was supplied through tankers in unserved areas.

Housing Minister Botsa Satyanarayana told the House that IRIS imagery was used for identification of beneficiaries on a pilot basis in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts for issue of ration cards.

He said so far, 53,593 ration cards were issued.

UNI