Latest news with #K.PawanKalyan
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Expedite ‘Adavi Thalli Bata' works to provide road connectivity to remote tribal habitations in Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan tells officials
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment, Forest, and Science & Technology K. Pawan Kalyan has instructed officials to speed up the laying of new roads connecting 625 tribal villages under the 'Adavi Thalli Bata' programme, and has emphasised the need for regular monitoring and reporting of the progress of the works. Speaking to the officials through a teleconference on Sunday, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said road construction was taken up in the tribal areas along with the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), with the funds provided under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and sub-plan allocations amounting to approximately ₹1,005 crore. Since the works under the 'Adavi Thalli Bata'programme were designed to connect the remote tribal habitations, priority should be accorded to their expeditious completion, he siad. The officials told Mr. Pawan Kalyan that laying roads to the hill-top habitations required breaking of rocks, and, therefore, the works would take considerable time. Besides, a lot of precautions should be taken in view of the steep terrains to be covered. Out of 128 roads located in the reserve forest areas, forest clearances were given for 98. 'As on date, 186 works are in progress and 20 more are in the tenders stage,' they said. Mr. Pawan Kalyan said the government was striving to achieve the goal of providing connectivity to all the tribal habitations, and that the Central government had sanctioned ₹556 crore under the PM JANMAN. Besides, funds available under the MGNREGS were being utilised. The administrative machinery must focus on expediting the works as funds were being mobilised from time to time, the Deputy Chief Minister asserted, adding that the required forest clearances would be given sooner than later after due deliberations.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
CPI(M) urges Pawan Kalyan to release ₹1,121 crore of 15th Finance Commission Funds to Panchayats
CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh State Secretary V. Srinivasa Rao on Wednesday (August 6) wrote a letter to Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, urging him to release ₹1,121 crore in funds allocated under the 15th Finance Commission to village panchayats. Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that although the current coalition government released the first instalment of these funds, the second tranche amounting to ₹1,121 crores—released by the Centre over six months ago—has not yet been disbursed, causing distress among local bodies. The other demands include hike in the honorarium of sarpanches from ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 as per the coalition government's election manifesto, prompt processing and clearance of panchayat bills by issuing directions to panchayat secretaries, full devolution of 29 subjects to panchayats as mandated by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, provision of accident insurance coverage up to ₹20 lakh for sarpanches who die while discharging their duties, special funds for development of villages and tribal hamlets in Scheduled Areas, entrusting village panchayats with supervision of the MGNREGS.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
First Operation Kumki in A.P. successful: Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan
Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan stated that the first Operation Kumki aimed at the driving away rogue elephants into the forests by trained ones has been successfully conducted in Bangarupalyam Mandal of Chittoor district. The next such drive against elephants destroying crops and endangering human lives will be organised in the Punganur forest, he said. In a press release on Tuesday, Mr. Kalyan, who is also the Minister for Forests, said a herd of elephants that were on the rampage around Bangarupalyam were diverted into the wild by trained elephants sourced from Karnataka. He complimented the officials and staff concerned in the Forest Department for accomplishing the task of reining in a group of elephants that were destroying mango orchards near Mogili village in Bangarupalyam Mandal. Trained elephants Krishna, Jayanth, and Vinayak blocked the wild elephants from heading towards the crops, and guided them back into the forests. The operation lasted from Saturday (August 2) night till Sunday morning. A two - month training was given to the elephants brought in from Karnataka. Mr. Kalyan said Operation Kumki was made possible by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and that he was thankful to Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah and Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre for their cooperation.
The Hindu
04-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Tribespeople rejoice as work on road to hamlet begins
The tribespeople of various hamlets in Anantagiri mandal of ASR district were in a jubilant mood after work on a much-awaited road to their hamlets began on Monday. Dancing to Dhimsa tunes, they gave expression to their happiness and relief. They also took pictures of the contractor performing puja to the excavator before starting the work near Ballagaruvu. The tribespeople have been demanding roads to their hilltop hamlets for years. At times, funds were sanctioned and work on roads began under various projects. Most of the time, however, the contractors abandoned the work midway owing to various reasons, allege Adivasi Girijana Sangham leaders. On December 20, 2024, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan trekked from Ballagaruvu to Vajangi and laid the foundation stone for a BT road from Gummanthi to Rachakilam via Reddipadu. In January, the government sanctioned ₹11.63 crore for a 12-km road from Dayarthi to Madrebu via Ballagaruvu and Vajangi to provide a road link to the hilltop hamlets. Only after the Dayarthi–Tunisebu main road via Madrebu is completed can the Rachakilam road be laid. Though funds had been sanctioned for the main road, the work was yet to start, they say. According to sources, ₹3.60 crore was sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Gram Sadak Yojana in 2012-13 for a road from Ballagaruvu to Reddipadu via Gummanthi, but the work was abandoned midway. In 2018, ₹1.50 crore was sanctioned for a concrete road from Ballagaruvu to Dayarthi. Lack of roads make medical treatment almost inaccessible for the tribespeople. In many cases, ailing people had to be carried in dolies from their hamlets to roads kilometres away. Recently, the tribespeople had staged protests on horseback, demanding the early completion of the road for which the Deputy Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone.
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- The Hindu
Tirupati in grip of fear as elephant herd and leopard roam near Tirumala foothills
The temple city of Tirupati is gripped by fear after a herd of 11 elephants was spotted dangerously close to Srivarimettu, one of the two pedestrian routes to the Tirumala shrine. The sighting has raised alarm among pilgrims and locals alike, particularly following a recent incident where a stray leopard attacked a two-wheeler near the zoo park on the Cherlopalli–Alipiri road. The presence of wild animals near both trekking routes — Srivarimettu and Alipiri — has heightened concerns of a possible man-animal conflict in the area. Srivarimettu caters to pilgrims arriving from the western side, while Alipiri is used by those coming from the eastern and southern regions. The elephant herd was first noticed around 8:30 p.m. on Monday near a pumphouse in the vicinity of Srinivasa Mangapuram. Interestingly, their movement was a chance discovery — captured by drones originally deployed by forest officials to monitor red sanders smugglers in the Seshachalam forest. Forest authorities quickly alerted senior officials, who launched an operation to drive the tuskers back into the deep forest. However, the herd trampled several mango and banana orchards before retreating into the woods by 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Officials from the Nagapatla forest range have urged devotees to trek in groups and remain alert. Residents of Srinivasa Mangapuram, Narasingapuram, Ramireddypalle, A. Rangampeta, as well as students and staff at Mohan Babu University (MBU), and commuters on the Tirupati–Anantapur national highway have been advised to stay vigilant for possible elephant movement in their areas. Deputy Chief Minister and Forest Minister K. Pawan Kalyan has taken note of the situation and directed forest officials to strengthen patrolling in the forest fringe villages. During a teleconference, he instructed the formation of WhatsApp groups in each affected village to facilitate real-time updates on elephant movement. Expressing condolences over the death of a farmer in a recent elephant attack in neighbouring Chittoor district, Mr. Kalyan cautioned officials against complacency and emphasised the need for proactive coordination between departments and communities.
