ANANTAPUR: Information technology and panchayat raj minister Nara Lokesh said rural areas in Andhra Pradesh will have necessary infrastructure by 2019, under the 7-point formula. The government is taking necessary steps to provide all basic facilities to the people in rural areas on a war-footing, he said and criticised the Congress government for failing to initiate any steps towards this goal.

“We have implemented major development activities in the last three years after being voted to power,”he said. As part of his two-day visit to the Opposition leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s home district, Mr. Nara Lokesh arrived in Kadapa district on Tuesday. The TD cadres accorded a grand welcome at Railway Kodur. Mr Lokesh was accompanied by Rajya Sabha member C.M. Ramesh, agriculture minister Somireddy Chandra-mohan Reddy and other leaders.

They reviewd the ongoing developmental works in Kadapa district. Mr. Nara Lokesh said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had done what the earlier governments did in 10 years, in the last 3 years. During a review meeting with the Kadapa district officials,the minister said that state government has planned a number of developmental works in rural areas and all of them would be completed by 2019. Referring that the state government was keen on developmental activities in rural parts, Mr. Lokesh said at least Rs 30,000 crore are likely to be allocated towards drinking water schemes in rural areas soon. “We are planning to lay CC roads in all rural parts in the state, as many interior areas are still lack transport facilities,” he said. Mr Lokesh would tour Kamalapuram and Mydukur segments on Wednesday.