Title - : MP lists development works taken up in city

The city was sanctioned Rs.7,000 crore for various developmental activities in the past three years and it will get more funds in the next two years, according to Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal.

Participating in the ‘Meet the Press’ programme conducted by the Press Club and the APUWJ here on Wednesday, Mr. Rajagopal listed the infrastructure and developmental works that were taken up in the city by various agencies like VMC, VGTMUDA, NHAI, Indian Railways, Roads and Buildings, Pachayat Raj, and BSNL.

He said that Rs.1,500 crore was sanctioned for Vijayawada and surrounding villages and habitations including Mangalagiri in Guntur district under the JNNURM scheme. Works valued at Rs. 936 crore had already been grounded.

Mangalagiri and several villages around the city were included by showing them as a conglomerate to secure the JNNURM scheme for the city, but the villages did not want to use the funds fearing that the panchayats would be merged with the municipal corporation. More funds would be released under the scheme for the city and surrounding areas and if any panchayat wanted JNNURM funds they were welcome to apply, the MP said. He said that the Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY) was a boon for the poor. Under the scheme, 49,440 housing units would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.2,223 crore in 111 slums.