Visakhapatnam: Health minister Vidadala Rajini flags off 65 e-autos

Visakhapatnam: District in-charge and health minister Vidadala Rajini said 65 e-auto vehicles were introduced as a part of considering sustainable practices to conserve the environment.

Inaugurating the e-auto rickshaws allotted to the district as a part of Clean Andhra Pradesh initiative to collect garbage door-to-door by the government to control pollution on Saturday at Beach Road, the minister said the project has been taken up with the support of the funds from Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the development of Asia’s Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund and Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor.

She said four batter swapping -cum-service stations have been set up in Mudasarlova, Shanti Ashram and Town Kotharoad areas. Besides, Rajini said 180 lithium-ion smart batteries have been readied.

Later, the district in-charge minister inaugurated the Dr YSR Primary Health Centre built with the funds of National Health Mission and GVMC at a cost of Rs 106.5 lakh in 48th ward.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajini said Primary Health Centres were developed across the state. Forty-two Urban Health Centres (UHC) were constructed and opened in Visakhapatnam district so far.

She said one UHC is being established to cater to every 30,000 population.

Meanwhile, the minister inaugurated a free health camp meant for accredited journalists along with district collector A Mallikarjuna and public representatives at Dolphin Diagnostic Centre near Jagadamba Junction.

Appreciating the media personnel, Rajini said journalists constantly work for the betterment of the society. She said 56 types of medical tests would be carried out free of cost for all accredited journalists. Such health camps for journalists would be organised across Andhra Pradesh, she added.

District Collector A. Mallikarjuna mentioned that the amount of health insurance is being paid from CSR funds in connection with the Working Journalist Health Scheme for white ration cardholders.

During the programme, the minister handed over the first batch of accreditation cards for the year 2023-24 to the journalists and presented a cheque worth Rs.3.75 lakh with regard to the Working Journalist Health Scheme.

Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari, MP MVV Satyanarayana, Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Nagireddy, VMRDA Chairperson Akkaramani Vijaya Nirmala and NREDCAP Chairman KK Raju participated in the programme.