Khammam: The villages in Telangana have completely transformed with the development works and programmes executed by the State government, said Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar.
The government has a strong determination to develop villages and to achieve progress in all areas, he said.
Ajay Kumar laid the foundation stone for gram panchayat buildings, each to be constructed with an amount of Rs 20 lakh at six thandas in the mandal, at a ceremony held at Harya thanda of Raghunathapalem mandal in the district on Thursday as part of Telangana Palle Pragathi Dinotsavam.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that development was taking place in Telangana like nowhere else in the country.
“A lot of progress has been achieved in last eight years. With the completion of the pending projects, repairs to the canals and filling of tanks, the villages had plenty of water for drinking and cultivation. People who migrated to urban areas for livelihood, were returning to their native villages due to increased employment opportunities,” he said.
Ajay Kumar stated that the government has upgraded thandas into gram panchayats and empowered the tribals to govern their thandas. In Raghunathapalem mandal alone, 20 thandas have been upgraded as gram panchayats and now there were 37 gram panchayats in the mandal, he explained.
All necessary infrastructure facilities like electricity, roads, schools, drainages, drinking water through Mission Bhagiratha have been provided in thandas. To overcome the low-voltage problem a substation has been set up for two or three villages, the Minister informed.
District Collector VP Gautham said that new roads were laid in remote areas and internal CC roads have been constructed in all villages. Every village has a tractor, tanker, Palle Prakruthi Vanams, Vaikunta Dhamams, segregation sheds and others.
Sarpanch of villages, elected representatives and sanitation workers were felicitated. Bhadrachalam ITDA PO Gautham Potru, DRDO Vidya Chandana, DPO Appa Rao and others were present.