Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy Visits Kothagudem District
Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy toured Kothagudem district on Friday, participating in various events and inaugurating development projects. One of the highlights of his visit was the inauguration of central lighting along a 3-kilometer stretch from Vepalagadda village in Sujathanagar mandal to Brindavanam. The project was completed at a cost of Rs 2 crore. MP R Raghuram Reddy, MLA Kunanneni Sambasiva Rao, and District Collector Jitesh V Patil accompanied him during the ceremony.
During his speech, the minister emphasized that despite financial challenges, the Congress government has been proactive in fulfilling its electoral promises. He assured the people of Kothagudem constituency of his commitment to its development. Acknowledging that the region, being an agency area, has been lagging behind in progress, he promised to address the issues.
At a meeting held at Sri Ramachandra College in Kothagudem, marking the birth anniversary of social reformer Savitribai Phule, the minister announced that January 3 would be celebrated as Women Teachers’ Day. He highlighted the government’s achievements, including the Amma Adarsh Schools scheme under which Rs 657 crore has been allocated to provide basic facilities in schools across the state. He criticized the previous government for neglecting basic amenities in hostels and for significantly increasing cosmetic charges in hostels by 200 percent.
Minister Srinivas Reddy also made a significant promise to work toward establishing an airport in the Ramavaram area of the district. Later in the day, he inaugurated a rifle shooting center in Kothagudem. He lauded District Collector Jitesh V Patil for his efforts in promoting tourism in the district.
The minister spoke about the upcoming Eru festival, which is scheduled to take place on January 9, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadashi and the start of Uttara Dwara Darshan at the temple. He explained that “Eru” means “water” in the local tribal language, symbolizing the celebrations centered around the Godavari River and its ghats. He also highlighted various tourism initiatives in the district, including the development of Godavari ghats and boating facilities, Kanakagiri Peak, glimpses into tribal life, Kinnerasani Dam, and the Deer Park.
