Hans News Service Khammam

AgricultureMinister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a new Gram Panchayat office at Irlapudi village in Raghunathapalem mandal and outlined a series of development initiatives aimed at strengthening agriculture and rural infrastructure in the region. Addressing a gathering, the Minister said Raghunathapalem should emerge as the leading mandal in the state in the agricultural sector. He also promised to eliminate all thatched houses in the mandal by ensuring adequate housing for eligible families.

Highlighting irrigation initiatives, Tummala said the recently commissioned Manchukonda Lift Irrigation Scheme had enabled the filling of local tanks. He expressed confidence that Godavari waters would reach the mandal by this time next year.

The Minister said efforts were also underway to bring water from the Bugga stream through a pipeline. Even if water levels in the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir remain inadequate next year, the government would ensure that tanks in the mandal are filled using water from the Godavari and Bugga sources, enabling farmers to cultivate quality crops.

He urged farmers to prepare for improved agricultural productivity and assured them that public grievances would be addressed promptly through local elected representatives and party leaders.

During the programme, Khammam District Congress Committee president Nuthi Satyanarayana Goud felicitated newly appointed Raghunathapalem Mandal Congress president Keloth Dev Singh by handing over his appointment letter in the presence of the Minister.

Tummala further said that the state government had already credited Rs 9,000 crore into farmers’ bank accounts under its welfare initiatives. He also appealed to party workers and local leaders to ensure the success of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s Rythu Ashirvada Sabha scheduled to be held on Friday in the district.