Khammam: Reading glasses have been given to 79,923 persons under the second phase of the Kanti Velugu programme in the district so far, informed Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar.
Nearly 49,763 persons were found to be in need of prescription glasses, of whom 30,409 persons were given the glasses.
As on Tuesday 3,58,048 persons, including 103 transgender persons, have been examined. Around 2,28,360 people were free of eye problems, he said.
The Minister inaugurated a Kanti Velugu camp set up at the Basti Dawakhana in Medara Bazar in the 25th municipal division here on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the Telangana government ambitiously undertook the Kanti Velugu programme and asked the public to make use of it.
The government has designed the Kanti Velugu programme to rectify eye ailments of the poor and with an aim that no one should suffer from eye problems.
Camps have been completed in 283 gram panchayats and 66 wards and progress was being made in 43 gram panchayats and 12 wards in the district.
Besides conducting eye examinations, medicines were being given free of charge and the government would arrange for eye surgeries for those who need them, Ajay Kumar said.
District Collector VP Gautham said there was a good response to the second phase of Kanti Velugu. Extensive campaigns were being done about setting up the camps in advance in the villages and invitation letters have been given to attend the camps.
He said that the staff was going door to door and creating awareness about the programme.
Mayor P Neeraja, SDUA chairman Bachu Vijay Kumar, DM&HO Dr. B. Malathi and others were present.