Union Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar, who visited Paderu in Alluri Sitaramaraju district on Monday, said he would take the problems being faced by the locals to the notice of the Centre.
Mr. Jaishankar chaired a review meeting with senior officials at the ITDA office in Paderu as part of his visit to the tribal areas on Monday.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making all-out efforts for the development of aspirational districts. Measures will be taken to address problems of power supply, drinking water, education, health, roads and connectivity, apart from the development of agriculture in the district,” he said.
The Union Minister said that he would talk to his counterpart in the Rural Development Ministry and initiate measures for the development of rural areas. The disparities in various sectors would be corrected, he said.
District Collector Sumit Kumar gave a presentation on the developmental activities being taken up in the district. He gave an overview of the district to the Minister, including its area, population, and penetration of medical services and education.
“Under Mission Connect Padery, it has been identified that 979 villages have no roads, and 40 villages have no electricity. ITDA has come up with proposals to provide solutions to these problems in the next three years. Drinking water schemes have been taken up at a cost of ₹239 crore under the Jal Jeevan MIssion. The State government is concentrating on improving healthcare services,” the Collector said, adding that most complaints being received at the ‘Spandana’ grievance redressal programme revolved around lack of roads, drinking water supply and Internet connectivity.
The Collector took the problems of Language Volunteers, who were appointed for the educational development of the tribal people, to the notice of the Union Minister. He said that pattas for over 1 lakh acres were distributed to beneficiaries under the Forest Rights Act.
Earlier, Mr. Jaishankar went round an exhibition of tribal products organised under the aegis of Velugu.
He also visited coffee plantations at Gurra Garuvu village of Paderu mandal. ITDA Project Officer R. Gopalakrishna explained to the Minister about coffee cultivation, inter crops and the income being received by the tribal people. He said that the ITDA was supplying ladders, baby pulpers and other implements at concessional rates to the beneficiaries.
Later, the Minister inspected the work on the construction of a medical college at Paderu, which was taken up at an estimated cost of ₹500 crore. He also offered prayers at the Sri Modakondamma temple.
Paderu MLA K. Bhagyalakshmi, Sub-Collector V. Abhishek, SP Satish Kumar and Medical Council Member T. Narasinga Rao were among those who attended the meeting.
