Gram Sabhas drive to bolster democracy, says tourism minister
Minister Kandula Durgesh speaking at a Gram Sabhas in Kata Koteswaram village on Friday. Collector P Prasanthi and former MLA Burugupalli Sesha Rao are also seen
Rajamahendravaram: Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Cinematography Kandula Durgesh attended a Gram Sabhas as the chief guest in Kata Koteswaram village of Nidadavole mandal on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the state government has started conducting Gram Sabhas which aim to understand problems faced by villagers and to take prompt action based on their suggestions.
The Minister paid homage to ‘Andhra Kesari’ Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu on the occasion.
He emphasised the significance of community involvement in the development of villages, towns, and cities, as clearly outlined in the 1973-74 constitutional amendment.
The decision to conduct village meetings across the state to address local issues was initiated by Deputy Chief Minister Konidela Pawan Kalyan.
Minister also said that under the rural employment guarantee scheme, Rs 11 crore has been allocated for the development of the Nidadavole constituency, with Rs 25 lakh specifically earmarked for various development projects in Kata Koteswaram village.
Villages would be developed more rapidly if the government funds were supplemented by active public participation. He added that well-maintained roads and drainage systems are crucial for the long-term sustainability of infrastructure. Minister informed that village meetings would be held four times a year to ensure continuous engagement with the community.
Collector P Prasanti remarked that village meetings are an excellent platform for villagers to understand their rights and responsibilities.
She encouraged everyone to make the most of these meetings and called for awareness programmes to ensure the participation of every individual aged 18 and above in the village meetings.
She reported that village meetings had already been conducted in 300 villages across the district. The village secretary serves as the convener of these meetings, with mandal-level officials appointed as supervisory officers. Collector also said that village meetings should serve as a platform for creating comprehensive action plans addressing both individual and community needs at the village level.
Former MLA Burugupalli Shesha Rao, Sarpanch Koyyala Venkateswara Rao, Vice-Sarpanch Koppisetti Mangaraju, MPDO P Samuel, APO Satyanarayana, Mandal Special Officer A Durgesh, Panchayat Secretary Bontha Manoj Prakash, and others participated.