Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Villagers pour out their woes at Praja Patham

Staff Reporter

Initiative held in a novel way without any speeches

STRAIGHT TALK: Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy interacting with SHG women at H. Sodanapalli village in Anantapur on Tuesday as district Collector D. Kadmiel (extreme right) looks on.

ANANTAPUR: Minister for Agriculture and Civil Supplies N. Raghuveera Reddy conducted the Praja Patham `grama sabha' in a novel way in the SC Colony at H.Sodanapalli village of Singanamala mandal in the district on Tuesday. The grama sabha simply stuck to a debate on the problems of the villagers. There were no speeches, whatsoever.

In an interesting interaction between the Minister and the villagers, priority issues like drinking water, land problems of SCs and STs, seven-hour power supply to the farm sector, NREGS, 25 paise interest schemes to SHGs, houses and welfare pensions were discussed.

Borewell water

Commencing the grama sabha, the Minister sought to know the villagers' problems. The villagers pointed out that drinking water being supplied from private borewells was insufficient and the quality was poor. The Minister directed RWS AE Narayanaswamy to find an alternative private borewell with good quality water within a week.

On NREGS, the villagers complained to the Minister that payment of wages was being delayed regularly with various reasons, including scarcity of withdrawal forms in post offices. The Minister said he would take the problem to the notice of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and arrange supply of withdrawal forms to the post offices by the State Government itself.

He told the villagers not to migrate in search of wage work, as the Government was ready to provide as much work as required. The villagers had no complaints on 7-hour power supply, development of lands under CLDP, land-related problems of SCs and STs, welfare pensions, ration cards and houses. However, they sought more ration cards and houses.

Singanamala legislator S. Sailajanath, DCCB Chairperson T. Kona Reddy, District Collector D. Kadmiel and officials pariticipated.

Meanwhile, in another grama sabha at Shaikshanipalli in Uravakonda mandal, Minister for Panchayat Raj and Endowments J.C. Diwakar Reddy said the Government objective was to create all basic amenities in villages through Indiramma scheme.

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