Ponguleti takes part in development activities

Kothagudem: Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy toured the district and took part in various activities on Friday. He inaugurated the central lighting installed at a cost of Rs 2 crore along the 3-km stretch from Vepalagadda village in Sujathanagar mandal to Brindavanam. MP R Raghuram Reddy, MLA Kunanneni Sambasiva Rao and District Collector Jitesh V Patil were present.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that despite financial difficulties, the Con-gress government was ahead in fulfilling the electoral promises. He assured cooperation for the development of Kothagudem constituency. Being an agency area, it is lagging behind in development.

In a meeting organised at Sri Ramachandra College, Kothagudem, on the occasion of Savitribai Phule’s birth anniversary, Srinivasa Reddy said said the government would celebrate January 3 as the Women Teachers’ Day. “As part of the Amma Adarsh Schools scheme across the state, we have provided basic facilities in all schools for Rs 657 crore,” he said, while listing the achievements of the government. He flayed the previous government for ignoring basic facilities in hostels and for increasing cosmetic charges by 200 per cent in all hostels across the state.

The minister promised the district people that he would strive for the establishment of an airport at Ramavaram area in the district. Later, he launched the rifle shooting centre in Kothagudem. He appreciated District Collector Jitesh V Patil for his initiatives to develop tourism, including the Eru festival which would take place on January 9, the auspicious day of Vaikuntha Ekadashi and the beginning of Uttara Dwara Darshan at the temple. Eru means “water” in the tribal language spoken in this district. The name was chosen to reflect the celebrations held around the Godavari River and the ghats. He noted the ef-forts being taken to develop tourist attractions such as Godavari ghats and boating, Ka-nakagiri Peak, a peek into tribal life, Kinnerasani Dam and Deer Park.