70 lakh houses sanctioned in State, says Minister

KADAPA: The State government is committed to the welfare of poorer sections and has sanctioned 70 lakh houses and 71,000 pensions in the State, Minister for Medical Education Galla Aruna Kumari said on Friday.

Speaking after the inaugural of Indiramma Sambaralu in Kadapa municipal stadium, she said the government constructed 19,000 pucca houses in Kadapa city the last year as against 4,732 houses built between 1982 and 2004. It sanctioned 17,814 pensions in the corresponding period in addition to 6,000 existing ones. The government was implementing innovative schemes such as Rajiv Arogyasri, which were not among the election promises, and spent Rs. 370 crore for 1.40 lakh surgeries performed in corporate hospitals in the last one-and-half years, the Minister said. One hundred and forty speech and hearing impaired children were operated upon at a cost of Rs. 6 lakh each. House site pattas would be issued to 16,000 poor persons in Kadapa at a cost of Rs. 6 crore. The Minister lauded Kadapa Mayor P. Ravindranath Reddy for supplying bricks out of his personal contribution of Rs. 8 lakh. She urged the public representatives to extend their support in a similar manner. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has developed Kadapa into a model town in Rayalaseema region, she said. Mr. Ravindranath Reddy, who presided, said housing and pensions were being sanctioned to all eligible beneficiaries irrespective of political affiliation, caste and religious considerations. Women were being given Pavala vaddi loans of Rs. 18 crore in order to ensure their empowerment, he said.