Ponnala stresses people's role in Telangana reconstruction

Warangal: Minister for Information Technology and Communications Ponnala Lakshmaiah has called upon the people to play active role in the reconstruction of Telangana. After hoisting the National Flag at the ‘Independence Day’ celebrations here on Thursday, the Minister paid tributes to Telangana martyrs. He wanted the public to be committed and work to build the new State with same spirit and zeal with which they have fought for statehood status for the Telangana region.

“We and our children have fought for Telangana cause for the past few decades. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi understood our desire and decided to accord statehood to the region. Constitutional process has begun and soon we will be in a new state,” he said. Presenting the district development report, Mr Lakshmaiah informed that the state government gave approval for setting up 800 MW thermal power plant at Bhupalpalli in the district. The second phase of Kakatiya Thermal Power Project with 600 MW would soon be commissioned.

With that total power generation in the district would become 1900 MW as a 500 MW thermal power station was already functioning at Bhupalpalli. For improving the electricity distribution network three 220 KV, eight 132/11 KV and twenty 33/11 KV sub-stations would be built in the district soon. The works of Kanthanapally irrigation project on River Godavari would soon begin. It was planned to set up 129 industries with Rs 102 crore in the district.

Last year Rs. 175 crore was spent to set up 404 industries and 2939 persons were given employment. Measures were being taken to provide job skill training to about 25,000 youth and also to provide employment to them, Minister Lakshmaiah said. About four lakh hectares were being cultivated in the current agriculture season and the district has received 610 mm rainfall so far as against 993.7 mm annual average.

As a result the agriculture activities were going in full swing, he added.The c ultural programmes were presented by about 900 students from different schools. The district police presented a parade. The minister later inaugurated a photo exhibition arranged by District Public Relations Office. District Collector G Kishan, rural and urban SPs G Pala Raju and A Venkateshwara Rao, Joint Collector PS Pradyumna, Additional Joint Collector B Sanjeevaiah, District Revenue Officer Surendra Karan and others were present.

People celebrated the 67th Indian Independence Day with patriotic zeal in various parts of the district here on Thursday. Besides the flag hoisting ceremony at the Police parade grounds by the IT Services Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, programmes were held various at private and government offices. The freedom fighters in the district were felicitated by the Minister.

At the NPDCL office, its chairman and managing director, Kartikeya Mishra unfurled the National Flag. Addressing the employees, he said respect comes from hard work and devotion. He urged the employees to remove disparity in society by changing their attitude.