Accord priority to basic facilities, nutritious food in Agency: panel

House committee begins two-day tour of district

AP Legislative Committee on ST Welfare on a two-day tour of the district has emphasised implementation of rule of reservation in all government offices by following the roaster points.

At a review meeting with officials at the Collector’s office on Thursday, committee Chairman M Srinivasa Rao said the government was implementing several welfare schemes for tribals.

Officials of various departments should ensure that the ST Sub-plan funds were spent properly, he said.

If people come with grievance to them, officials should act immediately to resolve them, Mr Srinivasa Rao said.

Expressing concern over the plight of tribals in the remote Agency areas, he said providing basic facilities and nutritious food should be given top priority.

All the required doctors, nurses, pharmacists and ANMs should be appointed in primary health centres in all mandals of Agency besides measures to control mosquitoes, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.

Chodavaram MLA KSNS Raju wanted the needs of girijans living in 20 villages of V Madugula mandal to be taken care of. Collector Pravin Kumar said funds from Panchayat Raj, R&B, Rural Water Supply and DWMA were being spent in plain areas.

Paderu MLA Giddi Eswari wanted pattadas passbooks to be given to land cultivated by girijan farmers and complained against bogus ST certificates.

Alleging illegal quarrying, she said people in the neighbourhood were affected by it.

MLCs V Balasubrahmanyam and T Ratnabai, committee members K Appala Naidu, V Rajeswari and Kidari Sarveswara Rao, Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sarma, VUDA Vice-Chairman P Basanth Kumar and Municipal Commissioner M Hari Narayanan participated.

Earlier, the committee members worshipped Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Simhachalam.

They later reviewed implementation of rule of reservation with Executive Officer K Ramachandra Mohan.

The committee also received representations from members of the pubic at the Circuit House. CPI(M) district secretary K Lokanadham, District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee member R S Dora and Girijana Ikya Vedika president L Chittibabu were among who submitted representations.

The Committee visits tribal areas on Friday and hold a meeting at the ITDA, Paderu.