It's time to develop villages: Satyavathi Rathod

Mulugu: Rural development is high on agenda of the State government, Minister for Tribal Welfare and Women Development Satyavathi Rathod said. Speaking at a programme to sensitise about the importance of Palle Pragathi here on Monday, she said the State government was committed to strengthen gram panchayats (GPs) by providing adequate funds. It may be mentioned here that second phase of Palle Pragathi is scheduled to begin on January 2.

"To ensure greenery, cleanliness and proper infrastructure including graveyards and dump yards in all GPs, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had allocated Rs 339 crore every month," Rathod said.

The onus is on people's representatives to utilise those funds for the development of their villages, she said. Referring to the spread of epidemics in Agency areas, she emphasised the need for keeping their localities clean by adopting proper waste disposal methods. "I spoke to forest department and district administration to resolve the issues pertaining to land acquisition for the graveyards and dump yards," she said.

Rathod said that all the rural areas in the State have been experiencing developmental activity due to the implementation of Palle Pragathi programme.

"Inspired by the all-round development of Gangadevipally, a model village near Warangal, KCR initiated Palle Pragathi programme so that to make GPs self-sufficient," Rathod said. Palle Pragathi is nothing but translating the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi on Grama Swaraj (Self-governance) into reality, she added.

Mulugu was in the fourth position in the implementation of Palle Pragathi, the minister said, heaping praise on the administration. Mulugu Zilla Parishad Chairperson Kusuma Jagadish, Vice-Chairperson Nagajyothy and ZP CEO Parijatham were among others present.