Saansad Gram Yojana: Nirmala dedicates projects to villages

• Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Ministry of Commerce & Industry, took upon herself the challenge of adopting two villages and developing them into model villages.
• Two coastal villages of West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh - Pedhamyanavanilanka (PM Lanka) and Toorputallu were adopted by her on November 7, 2014.
• Drinking water: For improving the quality of drinking water, two RO water treatment plant were inaugurated at Toorputallu and one at PM Lanka.
• Sanitation and cleanliness: As part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Sitharaman has launched projects like Bio-digester based toilets and Integrated Solid Waste Management Program.
• A pilot project with around 44 bio-digester based toilets have been dedicated to the two villages and have yielded very positive response.
• To maintain sanitation and cleanliness, each household will be given dustbins separately to collect bio- degradable & non-bio-degradable waste.
• Skill development includes Salt Farming, Mushroom Cultivation and Vermi-compost farming.
• The salt farmers are being trained to ensure that they move away from primitive methods and are taught about the scientific ways of producing salt.
• Community Infrastructure On April 7, 2015, the foundation stone for an Art Digital Community Center was laid at Pedhamyanavanilanka. It will be quipeed with facilities like Computer Training Center, Mahila Bhavan, Library, E- Panchayat, multipurpose hall and will have 24/7 electricity via solar panels.
• Education: on Feb 13,2015, an examination center was established in Toorputallu for Class X students of the two villages so that they do not have to walk miles to appear for their examinations.
• Financial security, special Camps were organised between Nov 16,2014 to Nov 18, 2014 in the two villages to ensure that all the households are covered under Jhan Dhan Yojana and AADHAR Scheme .
• Awareness has been generated in the two villages regarding the 3 Financial Security schemes ( Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Bhima Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana).

• Utilised her MPLADS funds for 2014-15. Projects in Andhra Pradesh- roads,water,toilets,drainage,railways,community infra initiated.
  
  
  
• Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman dedicated various projects to her adopted villages Pedhamayanavanilanka and Toorputallu in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, to mark one year of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana during her visit. 
• The minister was on a visit to these villages from October 18-19. 
• In the last one year, efforts have been undertaken to improve the quality of drinking water, build bio-digester based toilets, establish an integrated solid waste management programme and multipurpose disaster relief center in the two villages with financial assistance from MPLADS funds. 
• Besides, measures have also been taken to facilitate education, provide financial security, clean energy, aqua culture and roads. 
• As located on the sea coast, the two adopted villages were forced to drink water with high salt content. 
• To provide them with pure drinking water an RO water treatment plant was inaugurated on April 8 while another RO plant at Pedhamayanvanilanka was inaugurated on October 17. 
• Funded by MPLADS funds, the second RO water treatment plant at Toorputallu was inaugurated on October 17. 
• The two adopted villages are the first in the country to have individual Bio-digester based toilets developed by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). 
• A multi-purpose cyclone relief building funded by the World Bank was inaugurated by Sitharaman on October 17. It will act as a disaster relief centre for the adopted village during the time of cyclonic disturbances and for rest of the year will be used as a centre for computer training, skill development centre for women and for other social gatherings. 
• Besides, Class 10th students of the two villages had to walk between 5-7 kms to reach their examination center for Board Exams. Towards this issue, on February 13, an examination center was established in Toorputallu for Class X students. 
• Besides, special Camps were organised in November last year in the two villages to ensure that all the households are covered under Jhan Dhan Yojana and AADHAR Scheme. 
• Towards clean energy, 3,500 solar lanterns were distributed on October 17 to power households in the villages.