Union Minister Reviews Centre's Initiatives in Andhra Pradesh
Tirupati: Union panchayat raj and rural development minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday held a comprehensive review of various initiatives the centre has taken up in Andhra Pradesh for improving the welfare of underprivileged people.
During his meeting in Tirupati, he emphasised the vital role that all states play in implementing the central schemes towards empowering rural communities.
Giriraj Singh held discussions with MP M. Gurumurthy, state officials and stakeholders to evaluate the progress and discuss the challenges and opportunities in the rural development sector. Survey and land records commissioner Siddharth Jain, state panchayat raj commissioner Surya Kumari and other officials participated in the meeting.
The survey and land records commissioner provided an update on the SVAMITVA scheme, which aims to conduct simultaneous re-surveys of villages and agricultural lands in the state. He explained that approximately 17,000 villages have already been covered, and drone imaging for around 13,000 villages is set to be completed by December, leading to streamlining of the land records system.
The union minister highlighted the centre's commitment to create a seamless connection between sub-registrar offices, revenue offices, banks and courts through the Bhu Aadhaar system. He said this initiative provides a unique ID and LP number for each plot, allowing individuals to access their land details from anywhere in the world.
State officials provided insights into 370 projects initiated under the watershed scheme, which covers approximately 13.62 lakh hectares in the state's first phase. They reported that work is progressing well, with the water table increasing from 1.5 mm to 4.40 mm, especially in regions with low rainfall.
Giriraj Singh emphasised the importance of central government's involvement in implementing the National Rural Livelihood Scheme in the state. He stressed that initiatives like growing cactus and producing biogas can significantly reduce pollution, addressing environmental challenges arising from carbon emissions.
Furthermore, the union minister recommended that house construction projects be completed by March 2024. The engineer-in-chief mentioned that the target of 1,140 km of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana will be met by March 2024.
Officials reported that more than 99 per cent of Aadhaar seeding has been completed for Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
