District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad reviewing the parade during the Republic Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad unfurled the national flag during the Republic Day celebrations organised at the Police Barracks Ground here on Sunday.
The Collector, who was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner of Police Mary Prasanthi, inspected the guard of honour. A parade organised under the leadership of parade commander N.V. Ramana was a special attraction.
In his address, Mr. Harendhira Prasad spoke about the developmental activities being taken up through various departments for the past six months. He said that as part of NTR Vaidya Seva, around ₹304 crore was spent on surgeries for 1.44 lakh people in the district. He said construction of a critical care block with 50 beds was in progress with a budget of ₹23 crore. He also said that with ₹74 crore CSS Grant, PG/AMC hostel works were in progress. He also said that 776 anganwadi centres had been effectively working to provide services to lactating women and children.
Speaking about education, the Collector said there were around 3.45 lakh students studying in 1,392 schools. As many as 2,344 students who dropped out were re-admitted in the schools. As part of the ‘Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mission’, 77,567 government school students received kits. He said as part of PMAY–NTR Urban Housing Scheme, about 1,39,500 houses were sanctioned with a budget of ₹2,511 crore.
The Collector said that adventure sports activities were being taken up at Kailasagiri, while the Helicopter Museum would be opened for public soon. Two convention centres were being set up with a capacity of 1,000 each at Pendurthi and Bheemunipatnam, with ₹14 crore budget. Proposals worth ₹200 crore were sent for undertaking beautification works from Naval Coastal Battery (NCB) to Bheemunipatnam.
The Collector also said that the GVMC was taking up 818 developmenta works worth ₹187 crore. Of them, 306 works were completed. He also spoke about the steps being taken by the corporation to implement single-use plastic ban in the city.
As many as nine tableaux from the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), School Education, Civil Supplies, Medical & Health, District Rural Development Agency, Women & Child Welfare, EPDCL, AP State Housing Corporation, and VMRDA were displayed. GVMC tableau received the first prize, followed by the DRDA and VMRDA tableaux.
Cultural programmes by students from various schools enthralled the audience.
Meanwhile, the Collector, who was also in-charge GVMC Commissioner, took part in the R-Day celebrations at the GVMC office. He was accompanied by Mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari, Deputy Mayors, Corporators, GVMC officials and staff. After unfurling the national flag at the office, he paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi near the office.
Published – January 27, 2025 08:20 am IST
