Pemmasani Vows Swift Action on Tribals’ Demands
Pemmasani said he and the district collector were working to address issues concerning tribal education, hostels and welfare facilities
VIJAYAWADA: Union minister of state for rural development and communications Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar on Sunday assured tribal representatives that their demands, including ration cards, house registration pattas and facilities for a Girijan Bhavan, would be addressed at the earliest.
Speaking at World Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations organised by the Andhra Pradesh tribal welfare department in Guntur, Pemmasani said the sacrifices of tribal leaders who fought for the country, self-respect and tribal rights should be remembered. After paying floral tributes to Alluri Sitarama Raju, he recalled the struggles of Birsa Munda, Alluri and other tribal leaders.
Pemmasani said the PM-JANMAN scheme was facilitating roads and basic amenities in remote tribal habitations, while the Jal Jeevan Mission was expanding access to drinking water.
He said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and IT and education minister Nara Lokesh were promoting Araku coffee and helping expand its markets across the country. Under Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s leadership, roads had been provided to around 625 villages in the first phase, while proposals worth ₹1,120 crore had been prepared for road works in the second phase, he said.
Pemmasani said he and the district collector were working to address issues concerning tribal education, hostels and welfare facilities. “With the available `30 crore, efforts will be made to address these issues,” he said.
He said hundreds of crores were being spent to improve facilities at GGH Hospital in Guntur. The coalition government had also undertaken road development across the state, he said, while alleging that the previous government had neglected the sector except during 2014-19.
Pemmasani said the VBG scheme aimed to provide villages with comprehensive facilities and develop them on a par with, or better than, towns. He urged people to assess whether their elected representatives had the ability and commitment to address their problems.
MP Bhashyam Ramakrishna said tribal communities had traditionally depended on water, land and forests and preserved their identity through their customs. MLA Galla Madhavi called for protection of tribal rights and cultural heritage.
Guntur district collector C.M. Saikanth Varma described tribal culture as valuable heritage. Tribal leaders were felicitated at the programme, which was attended by elected representatives, officials and community leaders.
