Leaders bet on good days ahead for Prakasam dist

Ongole: The people’s representatives and officials from the Prakasam district assured the public about great future during the celebrations of 49th Formation Day of the district, on Friday.

The Minister for the Forests, Environment, Science and Technology Siddha Raghava Rao, MLC Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, MLA Damacharla Janardhana Rao, District Collector Vadarevu Vinay Chand, Superintendent of Police Bhusarapu Satya Yesubabu, Joint Collector S Nagalakshmi and others offered rich tributes to Prakasam Pantulu by garlanding his statue at the Prakasam Bhavan.

Speaking at the celebrations, Siddha Raghava Rao said that the state government was committed for the development of the district, which was formed by combining backward parts from the Kurnool, Nellore and Guntur districts on February 2, 1970. He said that the district people take spirit from the freedom-fighter and first Chief Minister of Andhra state, ‘Andhra Kesari’ Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu and renamed the district after him as Prakasam district on December 5, 1972.

He said that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was trying to bring industries to the district and improve employability options to the local youth, by identifying industrial corridor at Donakonda, National Investment and Manufacturing Zone at Kanigiri, port at Ramayapatnam and working for their realisation. He announced that the government had allocated the IIIT and Mining University to the district.

Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, said that the district was internationally known for the rich natural resources like galaxy granite, indigenous Ongole cattle breed and production of tobacco. Damacharla Janardhana Rao said that the state government was making efforts to bring industries to the Donakonda Industrial Corridor and NIMZ at Kanigiri.

Vinay Chand said that the people in the district were more dependent on the agriculture and related fields. He said that the farmers were being encouraged to gain more crop with low expenditure and were being supplied farm mechanisation tools on subsidy. He announced that about 4.42 lakh acres of land was being cultivated under the Right Canal of Nagarjuna Sagar and Kommamuru Channel, and another 48.5 thousand acres of land was under cultivation from the water from Rallapadu, Cumbum and Paleru tanks. 

Speaking about the vast coastal line in the district, the Collector announced that a Fish Landing Center would be built in the district with a budget of Rs 3.26 crore. The DRO, N Prabhakara Reddy, CPO Venkaiah, DEO Subbarao, DRDA PD Murali, STEP CEO Ravi, film actor Kolla Ashok Kumar also participated in the programme.