$40m World Bank Credit For Ap Rural Scheme

The World Bank has agreed to give a $40 million credit to Andhra Pradesh for the Janmabhoomi programme while the UNDP has offered $10 million to train non-officials and officials involved in the programme.

This was announced here yesterday by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu while opening a workshop on Janmabhoomi organised by the finance and planning department and the Andhra Pradesh Academy of Rural Development.

The Chief Minister said the state had sought $50 million from the World Bank for the programme. Initially, the Bank was reluctant to fund such a programme.

However, the World Bank experts who visited some of the rural areas and studied the impact of the first phase of the Janmabhoomi programme made an outright offer of $30 million. But he was able to persuade them to give $40 million. I am sure ultimately the Bank will give us the $50 million we asked for as the programme deserves such an assistance, he said.

 

The Chief Minister did not, however, indicate the areas where the World Bank assistance will be utilised. Several individuals and NRIs have also contributed towards the Janmabhoomi programme while corporates have indicated that they will be able to fund the programme if exempted from tax.

The workshop is being attended by senior officials including secretaries to government and non-officials like Zilla Praja Parishad chairmen, apart from functionaries right from the mandal level.

It may be recalled that the Janmabhoomi programme, fashioned after a South Korean model, was launched throughout the state on New Years Day. It is essentially a rural development programme through the voluntary participation of the people and students and academics besides government officials.

Naidu got the inspiration after a study of the Korean Saemaul Undong or the New Community Movement which helped South Korea recover after the 1953 war.

Naidu said in the workshop, the participants will make a critical review of the impact of the first phase of the Janmabhoomi programme, based on reports received from the collectors and mandal level officials.

At the end of the workshop, a document explaining the philosophy behind the programme will be published.

A training institute will also be established at the state level in which even ministers and senior IAS and IPS officers will be deputed for training.

The Chief Minister also announced that a Bill will soon be moved in the legislature to give shape to his promise to entrust maintenance of irrigation projects by the beneficiary-farmers through their own users associations.

Naidu said the water cess being collected from the farmers using assured water sources will be made over to these users association.

He said the associations will be elected bodies with a five-year term. Provisions will also be made in the proposed bill to remove a body through a no-confidence motion under certain situations.