The Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday launched reworked PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) scheme from the Thrissur district of Kerala that combines infrastructure development in rural areas with economic regeneration activities. Mr Ramesh also launched another rural development scheme “Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Yojana” aimed at helping the women working in farm sector through the intervention and integration of other such schemes. Launching both the schemes, Mr Ramesh said that the government is embarking on a very important journey by launching the two national projects, whose results will be visible to the common man in the coming three years. Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Yojana has two components with a budgetary provision of 80 crore rupees each and is designed for improving the economic status of about three lakh women workers in the state of Kerala.Mr Ramesh said, while PURA launched by former President A P J Abdul Kalam had failed, the reworked scheme will succeed. Mr Ramesh said, initially there will be eight PURA projects in the country which can be extended to 500 centres known as census towns (semi-urban and semi-rural) as the latest census talks about over 3500 such areas in the country.Responding to the queries of the Kerala Chief Minister that timing for MGNREGA scheme for women workers should be fixed from 9.A.M to 4. PM, Mr. Ramesh assured that the Centre will seriously look into the matter as the women have other family responsibilities also. He also informed the Chief Minister, present on the occasion that dairy related works will be included in the MGNREGA from 1st of April this year.