Indiramma Padhakam Dejected Hopes
The congress government initiated and YSR spearheaded Indiramma Patakam scheme is aimed at providing houses to all poor people at a reasonable price. But unlike as projected it is a cooperative effort between the householder and the state government.
The Government has sunk in thousands of crores into this project and it was expected to make a big positive dent in the lives of millions of people. But nothing of that sort is happening today. The scheme is woefully in a bad shape and many who have willingly come forward have dismantled houses with them and no place to stay. The government and the machinery have been giving a hard time to ordinary people and their woes are piling up. In the meanwhile the middlemen and the builders have made their booty and are safely shying away from responsibility.
Today many villagers say it is just dejected hopes that they have thanks to the Indiramma Patakam scheme.
The congress government initiated and YSR spearheaded Indiramma Patakam scheme is aimed at providing houses to all poor people at a reasonable price. But unlike as projected it is a cooperative effort between the householder and the state government.
The Government has sunk in thousands of crores into this project and it was expected to make a big positive dent in the lives of millions of people. But nothing of that sort is happening today. The scheme is woefully in a bad shape and many who have willingly come forward have dismantled houses with them and no place to stay. The government and the machinery have been giving a hard time to ordinary people and their woes are piling up. In the meanwhile the middlemen and the builders have made their booty and are safely shying away from responsibility.
Today many villagers say it is just dejected hopes that they have thanks to the Indiramma Patakam scheme.
VILLAGES WEAR A NEW LOOKwith
IndirammaAndhra Pradesh government has taken a step forward in the right direction toimprove amenities in rural areas aimed at an integrated growth. The two-and-ahalfyear old government headed by Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy had the vision foruplift of rural areas to improve the standard of living of villagers.Thus took shape the INDIRAMMA scheme (Integrated Development In RuralAreas and Model Municipal Areas) which involves all villagers and aims atintegrated rural development covering the various facets of the main streamdevelopment process by providing basic infrastructure.Bringing various welfare schemes like housing, drinking water, link roads,medical care, primary education. Nutrition and old age pensions under one roofis the main objective of the INDIRAMMA schemeThe uniqueness of this scheme lies in the reach it has to individuals as well asgroups. An estimated RS 7,725 crore was earmarked for the scheme of which Rs6,207 crore was set aside for individual beneficiaries and rest to groups.Indiramma Houses: The government has come up with an innovative plan tobuild cozy and modern looking houses with all basic facilities and in rural andurban areas and plans to build about 20.12 lakh cozy houses (17.67 in ruralareas and 2.45 lakh in urban areas) this year.Of the beneficiaries in rural areas, Scheduled Castes were allotted 3.48 lakhhouses, Scheduled Tribes (2.04 lakh), Weaker Sections (7.39 lakh) and others(3.29 lakh)Better Management: Unlike in the past the beneficiaries are being selected in amore scientific and more appropriate methodology under INDIRAMMA scheme.Setting aside the previous practice of selecting the beneficiaries in the districtdevelopment board meeting with local representatives on caste basis, the newscheme selects the beneficiaries not on caste basis but on their socio-economicstatus which has proved to be more scientific.The cozy look and vivid colours of the Indiramma houses has been an attractionin rural areas people were staring at it in disbelief as they could not expect puccahouses to be so attractive in elevation besides structural quality.COSTINGIn a bid to provide a complete and wholesome feel of a new house thegovernment is spending Rs 30,000 per house. This includes Rs 25,000 allottedfor the house besides allotting Rs 2,750 for building toilets and releasing Rs3,200 under national rural employment scheme for laying foundation whichprovides employment and satisfaction to the beneficiaries for building their ownhouses.In urban areas the amount earmarked is Rs 42,750 which includes Rs 2,750 forbuilding toilets and Rs 40,000 for construction of house.
DUAL BENEFITGetting employment under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme onone hand and having the opportunity to build their own houses has been a pointof great satisfaction to the rural people as they can start building their housesafter ten days after the allotment.Funds would come in four installments. First during laying foundation, secondbefore laying of roof, third after the roof is laid and last one after completion ofthe house. Additional expenditure should be borne by the beneficiary and toilet isa must in every house.Repayment of loan could be done in 120 to 180 easy installments and theconstruction should be taken up by a qualified mason. Indiramma houses arebeen seen as a major leap towardsAndhra Pradesh government has taken a stepforward in the right direction to improve amenities in rural areas aimed at anintegrated growth. The two-and-a-half year old government headed by DrYS Rajasekhara Reddy had the vision for uplift of rural areas to improve thestandard of living of villagers.Thus took shape the INDIRAMMA scheme(Integrated Development In RuralAreas and Model Municipal Areas) which involves all villagers and aims atintegrated rural development covering the various facets of the main streamdevelopment process by providing basic infrastructure.Bringing various welfare schemes like housing, drinking water, link roads,medical care, primary education. nutrition and old age pensions under one roof isthe main objective of the INDIRAMMA schemeThe uniqueness of this scheme lies in the reach it has to individuals as well asgroups. An estimated RS 7,725 crore was earmarked for the scheme of which Rs6,207 crore was set aside for individual beneficiaries and rest to groups.Indiramma Houses: The government has come up with an innovative plan tobuild cozy and modern looking houses with all basic facilities and in rural andurban areas and plans to build about 20.12 lakh cozy houses (17.67 in ruralareas and 2.45 lakh in urban areas) this year.Of the beneficiaries in rural areas, Scheduled Castes were allotted 3.48 lakhhouses, Scheduled Tribes (2.04 lakh), Weaker Sections (7.39 lakh) and others(3.29 lakh)Better Management: Unlike in the past the beneficiaries are being selected in amore scientific and more appropriate methodology under INDIRAMMA scheme.Setting aside the previous practice of selecting the beneficiaries in the districtdevelopment board meeting with local representatives on caste basis, the newscheme selects the beneficiaries not on caste basis but on their socio-economicstatus which has proved to be more scientific.The cozy look and vivid colours of the Indiramma houses has been an attractionin rural areas people were staring at it in disbelief as they could not expect puccahouses to be so attractive in elevation besides structural quality.COSTINGIn a bid to provide a complete and wholesome feel of a new house thegovernment is spending Rs 30,000 per house. This includes Rs 25,000 allottedfor the house besides allotting Rs 2,750 for building toilets and releasing Rs3,200 under national rural employment scheme for laying foundation whichprovides employment and satisfaction to the beneficiaries for building their ownhouses.In urban areas the amount earmarked is Rs 42,750 which includes Rs 2,750 forbuilding toilets and Rs 40,000 for construction of house.
SCHEME FOR INDIVIDUALS
Pensions:
Government plans to release about 9.03 lakh pension of which 8.86were already cleared. Pensions for Widows, Handicapped persons and Weaverswere distributed in Nellore, Chittor, Medak, Adilabad, Karimnagar Khammamdistricts through the mandal level bodies of the respective organizations while therest would be distributed through mandal offices.Toilets: The state aims to build every house with a toilet and aims to build 16.32lakh toilets and work is in good progress in this regard.House sites: Under Indiramma scheme about 5.14 lakh house sites would bereleased of which 3.09 lakhs sites are in rural areas while 86,478 are in urbanareas.Electrification: The government has set target of providing electricity to 11.89lakh houses and so far 3,82,155 connections were issued target this year.
SOCIAL AMENITIES
The state has undertaken various welfare measures under Indiramma schemewith an estimated cost of Rs. 1,523 crore to improve social amenities.Drinking Water: To provide drinking water to 11,140 households, would beprovided in the state. So far 5,136 works have been startes.Roads: Link roads connecting villages has been the motive of this scheme andconstruction of roads to pave way for buses to ply in 757 villages was identifiedof work was taken up in 559 places. The scheme would be implemented in 151areas have 500 and above population.Additional Classrooms: Steps were taken to build 12,000 additional class roomsacross the state and 11,371 class rooms works would be completed here soon.
Drinking Water:
Indiramma scheme also provides drinking water along withprimary education in 13,669 schools and anganwadis in the state.So far 6,905works have been grounded and 1,542 works were completed.Sanitation: Sanitation has been a prime concern and is being taught in all schooland anganwadi centres from an early age. Total 32,840 units were sanctioned.Sofar 9,090 units here been grounded and 1074 units were completed.Apart from these, the scheme also provides medicare, birth certificates, pregnantand children health care.Majority of the beneficiaries are from weaker sections and Indiramma schemehas been widely well received in rural areas and villagers see the scheme as rolemodel for development.The scheme has become a synonym to development.***
