Thursday, March 30 2006 18:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh government would launch much hyped INDIRAAMMA (Integrated Development In Rural Areas and Model Municipal Areas) programme from West Khandrika village in East Godavari district on April 1.

"The peoples' programme aims at the holistic development of villages and towns and about one third of the population will be covered from the selected panchayats or wards during the first year", Chief Minsiter Dr YS Rajsekhar Reddy said in an open letter to the people of the state.

The scheme will cover 8,026 panchayats and 1371 minicipal wards in the first year and the reamining areas would be covered in the next two years, he said in the letter released on the Ugadi, New Year day.

Housing, drinking water supply, sanitation and drainage system, link roads, power connection to habitations and households, health services, AIDS awareness and prevention, nutrition and pre-primary education for children, pensions to old, widows and weavers and disabled are some of the areas the scheme would cover.

About 1.82 crore rural and 45 lakh urban population will be covered under the scheme by 2009, chief minister, who had a review meeting with officials, said in the letter.