Expedite ‘Adavi Thalli Bata’ works to provide road connectivity to remote tribal habitations in Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan tells officials

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment, Forest, and Science & Technology K. Pawan Kalyan has instructed officials to speed up the laying of new roads connecting 625 tribal villages under the ‘Adavi Thalli Bata’ programme, and has emphasised the need for regular monitoring and reporting of the progress of the works.

Speaking to the officials through a teleconference on Sunday, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said road construction was taken up in the tribal areas along with the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), with the funds provided under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and sub-plan allocations amounting to approximately ₹1,005 crore.

Since the works under the ‘Adavi Thalli Bata’programme were designed to connect the remote tribal habitations, priority should be accorded to their expeditious completion, he siad.

The officials told Mr. Pawan Kalyan that laying roads to the hill-top habitations required breaking of rocks, and, therefore, the works would take considerable time. Besides, a lot of precautions should be taken in view of the steep terrains to be covered. Out of 128 roads located in the reserve forest areas, forest clearances were given for 98. “As on date, 186 works are in progress and 20 more are in the tenders stage,” they said. 

Mr. Pawan Kalyan said the government was striving to achieve the goal of providing connectivity to all the tribal habitations, and that the Central government had sanctioned ₹556 crore under the PM JANMAN. Besides, funds available under the MGNREGS were being utilised.

The administrative machinery must focus on expediting the works as funds were being mobilised from time to time, the Deputy Chief Minister asserted, adding that the required forest clearances would be given sooner than later after due deliberations.