CM direct officials to achieve target before March

Hyderabad, Dec 27 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who expressed concern over the slow pace in the implementation of the Pasu Kranthi Padhakam scheme, today asked the Rural Development department officials to commit fully to the programme and achieve the target before March 31, 2008.

The Chief Minister's Pasu Kranthi Padhakam targets to distribute 1.32 lakh milch animals by March next year. However, so far only 15,179 beneficiaries were supplied with milch animals and 4,085 animals were available at display centres for supply.

He said the target should be achieved under any circumstances since it provides livelihood for lakhs of poor people. The reason behind the slow progress was due to delay in identification of beneficiaries, who were to be 90 per cent of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and delay in bank documentation and release of loan component.

The animal husbandry department had made arrangements for procurement of one lakh buffaloes from Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat from September this year to February next year. The department had also made arrangements for procurement of 32,000 cross-bred cows from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Orissa and Maharashtra.

The Chief Minister also agreed to provide 50 per cent subsidy instead of 25 per cent for sheep and goat units and ram lamb units under the Chief Minister's Jeeva Kranthi Padhakam.

Dr Reddy had sanctioned Rs five crore for the programme, a release said here today.

UNI