The Government proposes to spend Rs.1,322 crore for laying roads in the district, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said.
Addressing a gathering of tribal people in Marripalem village in Koyyuru mandal here on Tuesday, he said that the project is being taken up with funds from the PM Gramin Sadak Yojana under the Integrated Action Plan for Development in areas under Maoist influence.
Further, 10 lakh acres would be developed in the State to benefit 6 lakh SC, ST families, he announced. For every 10 acres a borewell would be sunk and drip or sprinkler irrigation facility provided to ensure that the land is developed. “So far we have only heard about development of land, our government will ensure that the land is developed for cultivation,” Kiran Kumar Reddy said.
During his interaction the tribal people of an interior hamlet expressed their gratitude for the Indira Jalaprabha programme which has enabled them to achieve economic independence. An old man, Injeti Rajulu, of an interior village in Koyyuru mandal thanked Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy for being able to grow mangoes on his land and earn a living. “We do not know who you are but thanks to you I am able to bring up my four children,” a widow Rajamma told the Chief Minister who had a lively interaction with the tribal beneficiaries of Indira Jalaprabha programme on Tuesday.
Injeti Krishnaveni told the Chief Minister that she had got 150 days of employment under NREGS. When the Chief Minister asked her how she got the extra 50 days, she promptly said: “From your government”.
The tribal people who waited in the cold weather for over three hours gave a warm welcome to the Chief Minister and thanked him. Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for a number of projects, including Girls Hostel to Model School at Vemulapudi and for strengthening if NRPM-Tallapalem R&B Road.
He also inaugurated the AP Social Welfare Residential School Building Complex for girls at Narsipatnam and spent the night at Kotauratla Integrated BC Boys Hostel.