Union Minister announces schemes for naxal-affected areas

Guntur, Aug 21 (UNI) Union Minister of state for commerce and power Jairam Ramesh today said the UPA Government at the centre was implementing the developmental schemes in the naxal-affected tribal areas to check the naxal menace.

Talking to reporters here he said the Rubber Board and Cofee Board under Union Ministry of Commerce would go in for a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with APITDA and Naandi foundation, an NGO at Hyderabad tomarrow to promote coffee and rubber cultivation in the tribal areas of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari district.

The Minister said the Coffee Board would take up the plantation activity to the extent of 4,000 acres and coffee from Paderu tribal areas would be marketed with Araku coffee brand in the western countries.

He said rubber plantation in Rampachodavaram agency area in East Godavari district would also be undertaken in about 30,000 acres of land with an investment of Rs 198 crore.

Women Self-Help Groups would be encouraged to participate in coffee and rubber plantation, he added.

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