Sanitation, drinking water, urban housing are priorities for government: Jagan
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has told the newly elected civic chiefs to work with transparency and said the positioning has increased their responsibility as they are now civil servants.
Addressing an orientation-programme for the newly elected mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons, and vice-chairpersons here on Thursday, the chief minister advised them to focus on developing their respective municipalities and corporations.
While congratulating the newly elected civic chiefs, he advised them to avoid discrimination and corruption, reminding that are representatives for 30 per cent of the population. “Like never before in the country, the state government has ensured social justice by giving 67 civic posts to SC, ST, BC and minorities and appointing 52 women as mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons, he said.
The CM said providing sanitation, drinking water and housing for the people in urban areas is the top priority of the government and stressed that safe drinking water has to be made available to every household. Works related to the water distribution network are in progress in 53 municipalities.
He urged the newly elected personnel to pay special attention to keeping the state clean and ensure maintaining sanitation in urban areas.
The Chief Minister said a special sanitation drive will be rolled out in July, wherein the government has procured 8,000 automatic trucks, allocating two trucks for each ward for door-to-door garbage collection. He emphasized on providing housing for the middle class at affordable pricing alongside the housing scheme for the poor.
He said the government shall acquire 100 to 150 acres of land to provide house sites to the middle-class at affordable prices with clean titles on a non-profit basis. Also, all the layouts should have CC roads, footpaths, underground drainage, parks, open-air gym, walking tracks, electricity lines, greenery, smart bus stops, as in Jagananna layouts.
The CM said focusing on development of these colonies will put the state in the forefront. Ignoring these would turn them into the large slums.
Jagan also advised the elected representatives to give their valuable suggestions in improvising the village and ward secretariat system in order to help people more efficiently. “The government had spent one lakh crore rupees towards welfare schemes in a span of 22-months with zero corruption and zero discrimination. All the government schools and hospitals are being revamped with better infrastructure under Nadu-Nedu initiative, RBKs were set up at the village level to help farmers,” he said.
Deputy chief minister Dharmana Krishnadas, ministers Botsa Satyanarayana, Perni Venkatramaiah (Nani), Velampally Srinivas, higher officials of the municipal administration department, local leaders, mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons, and vice-chairpersons of civic bodies were present.
