People from Sachin Tendulkar's adopted village seek effective use of infrastructure

Nellore: Even as ace cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar adopted another backward village, Donja in Osmanabad district, Maharashtra, residents of Puttamrajuvari Kandriga village, which he adopted two years ago, have been appealing to the authorities to make effective use of the infrastructure, such as new community hall, playground and other facilities that have been lying unused, by establishing a residential school up to Class X.

While an elementary school was available in the village, the residents underlined the need for a high school to prevent school dropouts and make proper use of various buildings and the modern play area. Sarpanch of the village Bujja Nageswar Rao said that providing education was crucial for social empowerment of the rural people. Pointing to the already constructed community hall, kitchen and dining hall, he said that these facilities were enough to start a residential school. Joint collector and coordinator for the project A. Md. Imtiaz said in response that some norms would have to be met to start a residential school and that the subject had been referred to the department concerned.

As for enhancement of job opportunities in the village, Mr Imtiaz said that digital payment solutions firm, Oxigen Services, had carried out a baseline survey, pertaining to existing livelihood activities in the three villages falling under Nernuru Panchayat. Oxigen Services had signed Sachin as its brand ambassador last year and embarked on a mission to develop PR Kandriga at the instance of the cricketer.

The firm is keen to take part in empowering the people living in the panchayat. The joint collector said that Oxigen representatives had submitted the baseline survey report to the district administration and a copy of it had been sent to Sachin Tendulkar too for further deliberations.