VISAKHAPATNAM: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was according priority to the development of aspirational districts in the country.
Addressing a review meeting during his visit to ITDA at Paderu, the Union minister said the Centre will extend cooperation for solving problems such as electricity, network connectivity, education, health, drinking water and roads in the agency areas of Alluri Sitarama Raju district.
"We will strive to remove gaps in various sectors. I will talk to the rural development minister with regard to problems in panchayats," he said.
Speaking at the meeting, district collector Sumit Kumar explained various development works taken up in the district, through a powerpoint presentation. He said that most of the grievances received during the Spandana programme were related to roads, drinking water and net connectivity.
"We have identified 979 villages without roads and 40 villages without electricity and the ITDA PO chalked out an action plan to provide the services to the villages in three years under the mission connect Paderu," he said, adding that drinking water projects were being implemented with Rs 239 crore under the Jal Jeevan mission. He said ROFR pattas for over one lakh acres were given to tribals.
The union minister also visited the stalls displaying various tribal products at the ITDA office. Earlier, Jaishankar was received by the district collector at Gurra Garuvu on his arrival. The minister visited coffee plantations at Gurra Gauruvu.
He inspected the inter-crop pattern of coffee and pepper. ITDA PO Ronanki Gopala Krishna informed the minister that they are extending various benefits, including distribution of baby pulper units, and ladders at subsidised prices.
He also visited the polytechnic where a medical college was being constructed with `500 crore.Later, the union minister offered prayers at Modakondamma temple at Paderu.