Hans News Service Khammam

Agricultureand Marketing Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Thursday raised several issues concerning the state at the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting held at Mahabalipuram and urged the Centre and Andhra Pradesh government to take steps to resolve them. AThe Minister submitted representations to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu seeking, among other things, merger of five gram panchayats near Bhadrachalam with Telangana.

Tummala sought the merger of Yatapaka, Kannayigudem, Pitchukalapadu, Purushothapatnam and Gundala gram panchayats, comprising 19 revenue villages, with Bhadradri Kothagudem district. He said their present location posed administrative difficulties as the Andhra Pradesh district headquarters was around 282 km away, while Bhadradri Kothagudem headquarters was only about 40 km away.

He also urged Naidu to release Andhra Pradesh’s share of funds for permanent restoration of the Peddavagu irrigation project, which was damaged by heavy rains in July 2024. The restoration cost was estimated at Rs 92.20 crore.

Tummala further sought a minimum assured price of Rs 25,000 per tonne for oil palm fresh fruit bunches and urged Naidu to support the demand before the Centre.

He also requested the AP government to press the Centre to declare the Bhadrachalam-Eluru road, passing through Chintalapudi and Dhammapeta, as a national highway. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and senior officials represented Telangana at the meeting chaired by Amit Shah.