Chandrapur sarpanch receives Union Tourism Award

Siddipet: It was a rare honour for Chandrapur village in Chinnakodur mandal of this district when sarpanch Suragoni Chandrakala Ravi and district additional collector Srinivas Reddy received the Best Tourist Village Award given by the Union Ministry in New Delhi on Wednesday. Union Minister Ajay Bhat gave away the award. Health Minister T Harish Rao has congratulated the sarpanch.

The village, with 4.500 population, was adjudged the best following successes achieved in various sectors. Its speciality is the Gollabhama sari, well known for generations, and varied handloom forms, which are old and traditional.

Another speciality of Chandrapur is the Ranganayaka Swamy temple which is famous as a rural tourist spot. The village is surrounded by the Komati Cheruvu, Wargal Saraswati temple, Cheriyal Nakashi painting cluster. From cultural point of view it has attractive temples, mosques, churches which attract traditional devotees. It is rich in cultural resources, iconic handicrafts reflecting traditional glory. The Ranaganayaka shrine is well known for treating mental and physical complaints.

The Ranganayaka Sagar reservoir, one of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project’s link reservoirs, is considered a jewel for the village having brought a rare speciality. Keeping these rarities in view the State government has taken up a mega tourism destination project to develop this area at a cost of R. 100 crore. It has developed the area as a tourism destination suitable for holding conferences and campaigns.

In a message, Health Minister T Harish Rao has congratulated the sarpanch.

He said getting the award was recognition of the sacrifices made by people of Siddipet in offering lands for the Ranganayaka Sagar Reservoir. He greeted the sarpanch for receiving the award on behalf of people.