New pensions, ration cards in Jan, says MLC

KURNOOL: The government will issue new ration cards and sanction pensions to eligible persons in the Janmabhoomi - Maa Ooru programme in January, MLC and district TDP president Silpa Chakrapani Reddy said on Friday.

Nearly 1,34,149 members were enrolled in the ongoing Telugu Desam Party membership drive, which was 30.76 per cent of the set target, he told the media at the district party office here. A target of five lakh was fixed against 4,40,623 members enrolled last year, the MLC said. Ninety tab operators were enrolling members and the party leadership was urged to send more tabs, he added.

The Jana Chaitanya Yatra in the last 25 days evoked good response. People’s grievances were being enlisted and referred to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Chakrapani Reddy said. Many complaints from the people were related to genuine beneficiaries not getting ration cards and pension due to age disparities in the Aadhaar cards, he said.

The community needs being put forth were about drinking water scarcity, declaration of drought-affected mandals, sanction of additional classrooms and compound walls. The municipal councillors were seeking equal pay and benefits on par with mandal presidents and ZPTC members, the MLC said.

Water release

The interests of farmers would be safeguarded as Srisailam reservoir has water up to 877 feet and would facilitate water release for crops in the ensuing kharif season. Two pumps of Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi were letting out 300 cusecs of water at Malyala to save crops, he said.

The trial run of Muchumarri lift irrigation scheme shortly would facilitate diversion of 1,400 cusecs to KC Canal, the TDP leader said. Water was released from Galeru Nagari to Gandikota and Mylavaram reservoirs, subsidary reservoirs I and II and to Brahmamsagar reservoir in Kadapa district, he said. HNSS water would fill 106 tanks in Dhone and its canals would be widened.

He narrated the Government’s developmental and welfare schemes. Kurnool District Cooperative Central Bank chairman M. Mallikarjun Reddy and party leaders B.A.K. Parvez, P.V. Ravi Kumar and others were present.