Visakhapatnam, Dec 17 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy laid the foundation stone of a Rs 83-crore drinking water supply scheme at Malkapuram as part of the Indiramma Baata scheme. He said that the drinking water supply scheme would be completed in one and half years to provide 24-hours water supply to four wards in the district. He sanctioned the upgradation of a 30-bed hospital and a separate maternity ward at a cost of Rs 25 lakhs. He said that the state government plans to sanction a sports complex in the area if land is available. Stating that the government had increased the sports budget to Rs 220 crore, the chief minister said that the government has decided to construct sports stadiums in every assembly constituency in the state. Later, he distributed bank loans worth Rs 7 crores to members of self help groups (SHGs). While interacting with members of SHGs at the Andhra University Assembly Hall, he claimed that women benefitted after they received bank loans under the Indira Kranth Patham scheme. He said the pay back of loans by women to the banks was very encouraging. He said that Andhra Pradesh government is the only state in the country providing interest-free bank loans to SHGs without any interest. He said that the state government has decided to provide loans worth Rs 13,000 crore to SHGs this year without any interest. He said that the state government has been paying Rs 1400 crore as interest to banks for loans given to SHGs. PTI COR BA
