The fourth phase of Palle and Pattana Pragathi, aimed at all-round development of villages and urban areas, commenced on Thursday with the government giving a call to people to become partners in the programme setting aside political affiliations.
Ministers, officials and other public representatives participating in the programme in different parts of the State.
Harita Haram, the ambitious programme for enhancing green belt in the State, was also launched simultaneously with IT and Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao launching an urban forest park at Pedda Amberpet on the city outskirts.
Panchayat Raj Minister E. Dayakar Rao, accompanied by Education Minister Sabita Indra Reddy formally launched the 10-day programme at Sirigiripuram village in Maheswaram mandal this morning. Speaking on the occasion, he recalled that the three phases of Palle Pragathi yielded successful results with marked improvements in the infrastructure and other amenities at the village level.
The government had sanctioned around ₹6,500 crore as grant for improvement of infrastructure at village level since the launch of Palle Pragathi in September 2019. The programme had been conceived with a view to ensure sanitation, basic amenities, health infrastructure and resolution of power supply related problems at the grass root level.
At a separate event, Mr. Rama Rao said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is firm on ensuring 33% green cover in the State in the coming days and people should cooperate with the government in realising the target. Mr. Rama Rao, accompanied by Forest Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy, inaugurated the urban forest park developed by the HMDA at Pedda Amberpet.
He recalled that the green initiatives and drives for enhancing the green cover were first of its kind developments and the government had targeted plantation of 220 crore saplings and ensuring their survival and protection.
As part of the efforts, development of 129 parks was proposed across the State. Of these, 59 parks had been proposed for development in over 1.6 lakh acres in the HMDA limits alone.
Elsewhere, Legislative Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy participated in the Palle Pragathi programme in the villages in Banswada mandal.
He said it was the responsibility of the people to keep their surroundings as well as the villages they live in clean.
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar led the administration in participating in the fourth phase of the 10-day programme.
He visited Nanajipur village in Shamshabad mandal and interacted with the residents about the facilities available there. The public representatives and officials should work with coordination to transform villages and towns into clean and green habitations, he said exhorting sarpanches to focus on sanitation and health aspects in their respective villages.
Outlining various initiatives launched by the government, he said the government had launched SC empowerment scheme as part of efforts to eradicate poverty among the scheduled castes.
It was decided to credit ₹10 lakh each into the accounts of identified beneficiaries enabling them to start their own businesses and the guidelines for the scheme would be issued soon.
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