Development of villages is the need of the hour: Smita Sabharwal

Medak: "Rapid development is possible wherever women are motivated", said Smita Sabharwal, Telangana Chief Minister's Secretary, Rural Water Supply and Mission Security Secretary, on Thursday in the 4th term of Palle Pragathi programme in Narayanapur village in Narsapur zone. Speaking on the occasion, she said that the villages have a great significance in the growth of the country and only if all the villages were green and healthy, it would contribute to the conservation of the environment.

She said that the appearance of the villages had changed through Palle Pragathi project, undertaken in three instalments. Today, in addition to sanitation and greenery programmes, Vaikunta sanctuaries, nurseries and rural nature parks have been set up in every village.

She said, the village council should identify the needs of the village and take up the task without expecting the government to do everything. Interacting with the women in the village, he enquired about the health conditions of infants and advised them to take special care of vulnerable children and look after them in a healthy way. She further said that today's children are tomorrow's citizens and we have a responsibility to provide them with the nutrition they need to live a healthy life. She said that every baby should be provided with fortified nutrition by monitoring their growth. She said that the purpose of her visit was to observe how the Palle Pragathi programme is progressing in the village.

Priyanka Varghese, Chief Minister OSD (Haritha Haram) said that a lot has changed in the State through rural development and if everyone worked together responsibly, the villages would be much better and development would flourish. In this phase of Palle Pragathi, it was suggested that the pending works should be completed and 11 thousand saplings are to be planted in the village within these ten days.

She said that the villagers should take steps to ensure that the vacant lots in the village are made green with plants. She also expressed her happiness to find that the road leading to Narayanpur was pleasant with lush greenery on either side of the road and said that if all the villages were kept clean and green, chances for diseases would be obliterated.

On the occasion, State Women's Commission Chairperson Sunita Reddy said that mothers should pay special attention to the growth of their children. She said, women should be proactive and take up activities like hygiene, planting saplings and take care of their child's health.

State Labour Welfare Board Chairman Devender Reddy, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Hemalatha Shekhar Gowd, District Library Chairman Chandra Gowd, District Additional Collector Pratima Singh, PACS Chairman Raju Yadav, former Food Corporation Chairman Election Reddy, officials of various departments and villagers were apresent.