AP earmarks Rs 12,252 cr under SC/ST sub-plan

Under its SC/ST sub-plan, the Andhra Pradesh government has provided a budget of Rs 12,252 crore towards energy, agriculture, social welfare, rural development, minor irrigation, weaker section housing, Rajiv Vidya Mission, etc.

Under the plan, power utilities in the state would be taking up works pertaining to electrification of SC/ST habitations and energisation of agricultural pumpsets of SC/ST farmers, besides providing new electrical connections to SC households.

Disclosing this here on Saturday, chief secretary PK Mohanty directed officials to expedite the works under the SC/ST sub-plan, including the works taken up by the distribution companies (discoms) for electrification of SC/ST habitations etc in a time-bound manner so that all works were completed by the end of this financial year.

"We, the government officials, have to further concentrate on the implementation of development and welfare schemes duly adhering to the SC/ST sub-plan and see that the fruits of these schemes must reach the actual beneficiaries," he said in a release.

According to M Sahoo, special chief secretary (energy), instructions have been issued to all the discoms to send the proposals for setting up solar panels even in grid-connected areas also so as to provide adequate power supply to the maximum extent possible in remote and isolated areas in Adilabad, Khammam, Warangal, East Godavari, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and Prakasam.