Ramayapatnam

‘Prakasam poised for progress’

District celebrates its 47th Formation Day

Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Sidda Raghava Rao led the people of Prakasam district in celebrating the 47th District Formation Day on Tuesday.

The Ministers, along with MLAs D. Janardhana Rao and D. Balaveeranjaneyaswamy and MLCs Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and Vitapu Balasubramanium, paid floral tributes to the late Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, the Chief Minister of the first linguistic State of Andhra.

Maintaining that the district had been neglected in the past, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said there was now a conducive situation for rapid progress in the coastal district.

“Learning from the mistake of capital-centric development in the past, the Chandrababu Naidu government is now determined to ensure dispersed development across all districts,” he added.

Mr. Rao, who hails from the remote Kamepalli village in the district, was joined by his Cabinet colleague Sidda Raghava Rao, who vowed to make Prakasam the best district in the State. Attributing the delay in the grounding of big-ticket projects like the National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ), Ramayapatnam Sea Port and the Donakonda Industrial City to bifurcation blues, Mr. Raghava Rao said huge investments were in the pipeline at Donakonda, Kanigiri and Ramayapatnam, with private players evincing interest in setting up industries there. “All promises made by the government, including the setting up of a University of Mines and Mineral Sciences, will be implemented in phases,” he added.

“The Asian Development Bank had promised to provide Rs. 1,200 crore for development of roads in the new State, while the Centre had given its nod for upgrading of highways at a cost of Rs. 65,000 crore,” he explained.

Exhibition

Meanwhile, the district administration organised a photo exhibition, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the district.