Guntur: The innovative Palle Pilupu (village calling) programme has been held for the first time at Bodelaveedu village in Veldurthi mandal, Guntur district, on Saturday.
The officials of all government departments, led by Guntur district collector K. Sasidhar, held an interaction programme to know about the problems of the locals.
The officials were taken aback when the villagers refused to join the NREGS works. They did not lodge any serious complaints about the development of their village.
Mr Sasidhar said the government was implementing various welfare schemes for the development of rural areas and that the Palle Pilupu programme was planned to know the development and difficulties at the ground-level.
He said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed them to submit reports about development and problems being faced by the villagers by conducing field visits. He said that villagers can lodge grievances at the Palle Pilupu programme directly to the district collector and other higher officials which would help in resolving the issue immediately. This would also save the time and money of the people, he said.
He said that Palle Pilupu will be conducted in one village every week and asked the public to make good use of it.
He asked village sarpanch Sree Ramulu to use the funds of the 14th Finance Commission for the development of village.
He was wondered over the absence of villagers in the employment guarantee scheme works and when he asked for the reason, the locals said they are busy with the agriculture works.
The collector asked the villagers to take part in the NREGS works at least two hours a day as it would help in development of their villages.
He said more NREGS funds would be sanctioned, if more people would join the works.
He asked the public to construct toilets in every house.
He explained about various welfare schemes being implemented by the government and directed sarpanch Ramulu to develop the anganwadi centre in the village spending Rs 5,000 village panchayat funds.
Joint collector Krithika Shukla, Gurazala revenue divisional officer T. Murali, officials of various government departments and locals participated in the interaction programme.
