Guntur divisions get funds

GUNTUR, Dec. 27: The minister for major industries, Mr Kanna Lakshmi Narayana, on Sunday toured the 31, 32 and 38 divisions in the Guntur West Assembly segment with an eye on the Guntur Municipal Corporation elections slated to be held in September 2010.

He visited in the divisions to know the people’s problems in his Assembly segment and inspected the sanitation, drinking water supply, roads and drainage. Speaking on the occasion, he said he would take up development works in the city at a cost of Rs 2 crore. The Guntur Municipal Corporation has already called for tenders to take up works at a cost of Rs 2 crore in the city, he said.

Mr Lakshmi Narayana started a tour of the divisions on November 6 and he directed the officials to take up works at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore in the city to solve the problems of the people. He held a meeting with the officials of the Guntur Municipal Corporation and the Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali, Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority and directed them to take up development work in the slums at a cost of Rs 40 crore in the city.

The GMC would spend Rs 20 crore to develop the infrastructure facilities and the remaining amount would be spent by the VGTMUDA.

The World Bank has sanctioned Rs 147 crore to take up drinking water projects in the city. Mr Lakshmi Narayana and the mayor, Mr Rayapti Mohana Saikrishna, are claiming credit for getting the funds sanctioned.

The Central government also assured Rs 450 crore under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission Funds to the Guntur Municipal Corporation. Both the leaders are claiming that because of their effort the Central government has promised the funds under JNNURM scheme.

Meanwhile, Mr Mohana Saikrishna is planning to take up four flyovers in the city to solve the traffic problem and shifting the wholesale markets to the city outskirts.