Patriotic fervour marked the 73rd Independence Day celebrations across the city on Thursday as students of various schools performed several feats and presented cultural programmes.
The Police Parade Ground hosted the official celebrations as Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Marketing Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao unfurled the national flag and inspected the guard of honour from the Police, NCC, National Green Corps contingents.
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The Minister shared the vision of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to ensure the overall development of the State. “The government is giving a top priority to transparent and clean administration through its flagship ‘Navaratnalu’ schemes,” he said.
Briefing about the welfare schemes, Mr. Venkata Ramana, said that ₹15,000 would be given to each mother who send their children to school under the Amma Vodi scheme, with effect from January 26, 2020.
Highlighting that 5,355 ‘grama volunteers’ have been appointed in 925 panchayats in the district, he said the move would take the government services to the doorsteps of beneficiaries.
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“Panchayat Raj system will be strengthened further, with the setting up of village assemblies for every 2,000 population. A written test will be held in September for the selection of 11 assistants for each village secretariat. The village secretariat will start rendering full-fledged services from October 2, marking the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi,” the Minister said.
YSR Bharosa
Referring to the agriculture, he said the government was extending crop insurance for ₹1 under the YSR Bharosa scheme and ₹50,000 as capital to each agricultural family. He said that crop loans to the tune of ₹1,330 crore have been sanctioned till date this year, benefiting 2.5 lakh farmers in the kharif season.
The Minister further said that plans had been prepared to promote drip irrigation with an outlay of ₹41 crore in 2019-20 fiscal.
Welfare agenda
“Various welfare schemes are being implemented with an estimated to achieve 20.32 % growth in horticulture yield this year,” Mr. Venkata Ramana Rao said.
The Minister spoke at length on the proposals for improvement of water resources, education, healthcare, rural water supply, housing and other sectors in the district.
Tourism development
“Proposals worth ₹156 crore have been submitted to the Centre for promotion of eco-tourism in Araku Valley. The container restaurant works at Erramatti Dibbalu near Bheemunipatnam are nearing completion. The government has sanctioned ₹2.5 crore for promotion of tourism at the birth place of freedom fighter Alluri Seetharama Raju at Pandrangi,” he said.
Students of Zilla Parishad High School at Vaadapalem enthralled the audience with their ‘Malkhamb’ art formations. Students of Sacred Heart High School at Gnanapuram presented a patriotic dance number The tableau highlighted the achievements of the various departments. Assets worth ₹192.36 lakh were distributed to beneficiaries under various categories.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao hoisted the national flag at the ZP High School at Chandrampalem.