Remove belt shops, orders CM

Hyderabad: Chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Friday directed the excise department to remove all liquor belt shops in the state within a month. The special drive would be carried out from next week.
Reviewing a meeting on problems being faced by the urban poor, Reddy directed the principal secretary, revenue (excise), G Sudhir, to tour the state and report back to him on the removal of the belt shops.
He asked municipal administration and urban development (Maud) officials to extend the Pavala Vaddi (loan at 3% annual interest) scheme to the urban poor in a focussed manner so that one lakh people can be trained to take up employment in various sectors. "The GHMC should open job training and placement centres in each of the circles and unemployed people should be given training and placements," he said.
The chief minister asked GHMC officials to rehabilitate beggars and destitutes at special homes.
Principal secretary, rural development , K Raju, principal secretary, housing, M V P C Sastry, GHMC commissioner S P Singh, excise commissioner Hiralal Samariya and other officials attended the meeting.
In another development, the chief minister waived Rs 8.5 crore worth loans (including interest) to benefit nearly 50,000 toddy tappers. The National Backward Classes Finance Development Corporation had given Rs 12.58 crore loan to toddy tappers through the AP Geeta Parisramika Sahakara Arthika Samskhema Samsta between 1994 and 2001. An amount of Rs 4.67 crore is still due to the corporation. The CM directed officials to ensure that toddy tappers were sanctioned houses and old-aged pension.