SHRI U.V. KRISHNAM RAJU TAKES OVER AS MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

---

Shri U.V. Krishnam Raju has taken over as Minister of State for Rural Development here today. Senior Officials of the Ministry met him and apprised him of the latest policy issues the Ministry. Shri Krishnam Raju was Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution before assuming his present charge. Later, talking to the media persons Shri Raju said that his top priority would be to involve corporate sector actively in rural development. He called upon Non Government Organisations (NGOs) for meaningful involvement in welfare schemes.

Shri U.V. Krishnam Raju was born on January 20, 1940 in West Godavari District. He is a member of Bhartiya Janata Party from Narasapur Lok Sabha Constituency. He has also made his mark while serving as the member of the consultative committee of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Commerce & Industry. He has worked for the relief of cyclone affected people; collected funds for the rehabilitation of families of police personnel; and instrumental in establishing open air theatres at Nellore, Eluru and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. Shri Raju has widely travelled throughout the world and he is President of Telugu Artistes Association for 18 years.