VIJAYAWADA: Deputy chief minister and endowments minister Kottu Satyanarayana has challenged the Telugu Desam to seek votes on the plank of good governance vis-à-vis the five years of the TD rule during 2014-19.
The minister affirmed that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is asking for votes on the basis of the welfare and development he facilitated in AP during his term as chief minister.
Refuting the allegations of Pawan Kalyan about demolition of 219 temples, Satyanarayana recalled that it was Chandrababu Naidu who had demolished temples during the BJP - TD rule. “That was the time when a BJP leader was the endowments minister. But, CM Jagan is rebuilding the demolished temples,” he claimed.
Satyanarayana alleged that Jana Sena activists were present in every conflict. “Pawan is inciting goons and rowdies. Yet, how can Pawan say that there is no law and order in the state,” the minister asked.
“Both Chandrababu and Pawan are conspiring to spread a story that the state has no law and order. The opposition leaders are saying that once they grab power they would put everyone behind the bars. The people feel they do not need leaders like Chandrababu, Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan.”
Minister Satyanarayana conducted a review meeting with endowments officials, at which he said that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had sanctioned Rs 70 crore for development of the Kanaka Durga temple. “Special measures are being taken for development of Indrakiladri as per the master plan. For Prasadam potu, the prasadam counters and stock point are being built as a single entity at a cost of Rs 27 crore, he said.
The minister said the Annadanam building is being erected in two floors at a cost of '30 crore and in such a way that 1500 to 1800 people can dine at a time. In order to cope with the rush of devotees, construction of a complex for extension of the queue lines has been undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. Tenders will be called this week. At a cost of Rs 28 crore, the construction of the staircase will be taken up.
He said the Pooja Mandap would be set up at a cost of Rs 6 crore to enable special puja for the goddess. The tenders will be called in the second week of July. A one mega-watt solar plant will be commissioned soon. A multi-level car park will be built at a cost of Rs 60 crore.
Satyanarayana said the construction of the queue complex in Srisailam would be at a cost of Rs 75 crore. A 750-metre-long Sala Mandapam will be built in Srisailam Madaveduli with a Rs 35 crore allocation.
“It was during the time of Sri Krishnadevaraya that the Sala Mandapas were built. We are going to build it again as per instruction from CM Jagan. The Annadanam Complex in Kanipakam will be built with a budget of Rs 3.60 crore and the queue complex with Rs 4 crore, the minister said.
The deputy CM said that 1,917 temples have been given the funds of the Srivani Trust with the idea of building temples in areas where SC, ST and BC people reside. He said that 180 such temples have already been completed, the works on 825 temples are in progress and the remaining 912 are at the foundation level. The aim is to complete all these by November this year.
