Kick-starting a 45-day ‘Praja Pragathi Yatra’ (abhivrudhi, sankshema) to get first-hand information on the implementation of a number of welfare and development schemes, the District Collector on Thursday initiated a long spell of continuous tour of different villages keeping intact an element of surprise.
At the first stop in Gandlaparthi in Rapthadu mandal, Collector Gandham Chandrudu inspected the functioning of Grama Sachivalayam and interacted with the elderly people who were present there on any difficulties they faced in getting pensions. After inspecting the various registers and online redressal of complaints received at the Spandana during a brief stop, he headed to the M. Bandameedapalli to get feedback on the preparations done for distribution of house site pattas to 87 beneficiaries.
“In the olden days District Collectors used to ride horses or animal-driven carts to reach out to people in the far-off places and stayed in Circuit Houses specially built for this purpose as returning same day was impossible. Taking the spirit of those visits and tours by those administrators, I wish to get a feel of my own administration and test the dedication of the ground staff at the implementation level,” the Collector said. District Panchayat Officer Ramanath Reddy also accompanied him on the tour.
Complaints
The villagers made a beeline for the Grama Sachivalayam and expressed their happiness at government services coming to their doorstep. There were general complaints of some people being stripped of pensions, but none from the crowd came forward with any specific issue.
Panchayat secretary Arun Kumar said disbursement of pensions was the most-liked service for the villagers as on February 1, 90% of them could receive it and the others who were out of village, got it the next day. Earlier, they had to travel up to Rapthadu and make at least two trips to get their pension amount, which was now being delivered at their door-step.
A cross-check on the way the Health Assistant and Horticulture Assistant functioned, turned out to be satisfactory. “It was heartening to see things falling into place very early and a majority of the village secretariats turning out to be hubs of busy activity providing all kinds of services,” Mr. Chandrudu summed up.
