The pleasant weather with cool breeze blowing across the venue provided the perfect setting for the 76th Independence Day celebrations organised by the district administration at the Police Barracks Ground here on Monday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Children from various schools performing cultural events during the 76th Independence Day celebrations at the Police Barracks Grounds in Visakhapatnam on Monday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
The spirit of patriotism prevailed as children of various schools, dressed in Tricolour hues, danced rhythmically to the patriotic numbers. Tableaux, depicting the development activities being undertaken up by various government departments, caught the attention of the gathering.
Children from various schools performing cultural events during the 76th Independence Day celebrations at the Police Barracks Grounds in Visakhapatnam on Monday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
‘Vande Mataram’ ballet by students of the Government Queen Mary’s School, dances by students of the Pendurthi Government High School to patriotic numbers, ‘Hum India Wale’ dance by AP Social Welfare School, Meghadrigedda, ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’ by children of KGBV School, Bheemunipatnam, and the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ dances caught the attention of the gathering.
ADVERTISEMENT
Health Minister and District in-charge Minister Vidadala Rajani saluting after hoisting the national flag at the Police Barracks Ground in Visakhapatnam on Monday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
District in-charge Minister Vidadala Rajini, who participated as the chief guest at the celebrations, hoisted the national flag. Later, the police contingents presented a march past. The Minister went round the ground in an open top vehicle along with District Collector A. Mallikarjuna, Police Commissioner Ch. Srikanth, and received the guard of honour.
Ms. Rajini went round the stalls, put up by DRDA, Police, SC Corporation, Medical and Health Department, Agriculture, DWMA, SETVIS, Animal Husbandry and Social Welfare Departments and interacted with the organisers. She distributed assets to the beneficiaries.
The tableau, presented by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), won the first place, followed by that of the DRDA and Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Development Authority (VMRDA) in that order. The fourth place went to the District Medical and Health Department and the fifth place was bagged by the DWCDA.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ms. Rajini, who is also the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, spoke at length on the progress achieved by various departments in the district under the YSR Congress Party government. She said that the KGH was allocated ₹600 crore, VIMS was given ₹250 crore and VGH was allocated ₹100 crore for taking up development works under the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme, ₹8 crore was allocated for construction of 45 YSR Rural Health Centres of which 17 have been completed so far.
Under the ‘Pedalandariki illu’ (houses for all the poor) scheme as part of ‘Navaratnalu’, house site pattas were given to 1.40 lakh beneficiaries in 72 layouts developed in 4,661 acres, under the purview of GVMC.
Visakhapatnam MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana, MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, VMRDA Chairperson A. Vijayanirmala, Joint Collector K.S. Viswanathan, Municipal Commissioner G. Lakshmisha and ZP CEO J. Subhadra were among those who participated.