Vijayawada, August 26, 2024: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawn Kalyan on August 23 (Friday) underlined the need for a non-partisan approach for developing the State, while asserting that sincere aspirations of the villages would help the rural areas make rapid strides.
According to the reports published in the hindu.com Mr. Pawan Kalyan stressed the need to elevate villages to prosperous hubs, outlining a vision to create sustainable and thriving rural communities.
Addressing the ‘Swarna Grama Sabha’, at Mysuruvaripalle of Railway Kodur mandal in Annamayya district, Mr. Pawan Kalyan expressed concern over weakening of the Panchayat Raj system during the YSRCP government’s term.
Noting the dominance of the YSRCP-affiliated sarpanches in 75% of the villages, he called for concerted efforts to develop the State. Establishment of ‘Swarna Panchayats’ should be the collective goal, he added.
“During the YSRCP term, a whopping ₹51,000 crore had been drawn for the Panchayat Raj sector, of which ₹35,000 crore was spent without any accountability. Taking this as a lesson, the youth and women should start questioning the spending of funds and monitor the developmental works in their panchayats,” he said.
Pledging to adopt the non-political approach, Mr. Pawan Kalyan spoke at length about the significance of patriotism originating from panchayats and highlighted the need for village-level leaders’ representation at the national level.
Stressing the fundamental importance of the Panchayat Raj system for national welfare, he said, “Without a strong village administration and self-governance mode, the prosperity of a country will be a mirage.”
Stating that position for him was a responsibility, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said, “Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s political and administrative experience in steering the State away from indebtedness and towards prosperity is remarkable. I am ready to learn from Mr. Naidu.”
He said top priority would be accorded to safeguarding government lands and strengthening local governance through increased grama sabha participation.
“Economic empowerment of villages and improving education, which in turn fosters the overall family development, are my priorities. The future belongs to women and youth, and the next generation leaders for the nation should emerge from the panchayats,” he said.
Responding to the slogans from the gathering such as “OG… OG….” (his forthcoming movie) and “CM… CM….,” Mr. Pawan Kalyan said, “Country is more important than movies. Society is more important than movies and development of villages is more important than movies. Political positions are not a decoration, but a responsibility.”
