Focus on ‘Swachh Godavari – Pavitra Pushkaralu’
The Andhra Pradesh government is stepping up infrastructure work across villages in the Godavari river basin ahead of the Pushkarams.
The objective is to ensure that arrangements are not limited to major cities and prominent ghats, but extend to villages along the river so that devotees have access to basic facilities during the festival.
Fresh ₹100 Crore Allocation
The latest funds have been sanctioned through the Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Rural Water Supply departments.
Of the ₹100 crore, ₹90 crore has been earmarked for rural roads and ₹10 crore for drinking water facilities. The fresh allocation is in addition to the ₹100 crore previously sanctioned through the Pollution Control Board, taking the combined allocation for the broader development programme to ₹200 crore.
111 Works Across Seven Constituencies
A total of 111 development works will be taken up across seven constituencies.
The areas include Rajolu, P. Gannavaram, Ramachandrapuram, Rampachodavaram, Achanta, Narasapur and Palakollu. Roads connecting villages with Pushkar ghats will be improved, along with internal village roads wherever required.
141 Kilometres of Roads
The ₹90 crore road allocation will cover around 141 kilometres of cement-concrete and bitumen roads.
The work is intended to improve access from villages to Pushkar ghats and make travel easier for devotees during the festival.
Drinking Water at Pushkar Ghats
The remaining ₹10 crore will be used through the Rural Water Supply department.
Protected drinking water facilities will be arranged at Pushkar ghats across the Godavari basin. The provision is aimed at meeting the needs of the large number of devotees expected to visit the ghats during the Pushkarams.
Munikoodali to Become a Model Pushkar Panchayat
Munikoodali in the Rajamahendravaram rural constituency is already being developed as a ‘Model Pushkar Panchayat’ at an estimated cost of ₹7 crore.
The works include cement-concrete roads, tower lights, drainage systems, soak pits and toilets around the Saptarishi Ghat.
Pollution Control Also a Priority
The government’s preparations also focus on keeping the Godavari clean and reducing pollution.
The ₹100 crore previously allocated through the Pollution Control Board will be used for proposed development and pollution-control works across the Polavaram, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru and Konaseema regions.
Pushkarams to Reach River-Basin Villages
The government plans to ensure that the Pushkarams are not confined to major centres such as Rajamahendravaram.
Infrastructure is being developed so that devotees in villages across the Godavari basin can also participate in ritual bathing, prayers and offerings to ancestors during the festival.
Conclusion
Pawan Kalyan has sanctioned another ₹100 crore to strengthen infrastructure in Godavari river-basin villages ahead of the Pushkarams. Of the fresh allocation, ₹90 crore will be spent on around 141 km of rural roads, while ₹10 crore will fund protected drinking water facilities at Pushkar ghats.
The wider programme combines road development, drinking water, sanitation, ghat improvements and pollution-control measures, with the aim of providing better facilities to devotees and improving villages along the Godavari basin ahead of the festival.
