Vijayawada: When students of a panchayat high school in Mysora Vari Palli village of Annamaya district got an audience with Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan during his visit to their remote village in August, they least expected their request — of having a playground in their village — to be fulfilled. The demand was long-standing, and several such requests to local public representatives in the past had fallen on deaf ears.
Their joy knew no bounds when Pawan not only gave them a patient ear, but also immediately donated Rs 60 lakh from his personal funds to purchase a land parcel in the village to serve as a dedicated playground for the school and the village. The land documents were handed over to the village panchayat on Oct 10.
Pawan, who also holds panchayat raj and rural development portfolios, was in the village to inaugurate a ‘grama sabha' (a body of people registered to vote in a gram panchayat who are at least 18 years old). Pagadala Srinivas, a student of the school, said they never expected they could get a playground. "We repeatedly requested our village heads and teachers for a playground. But no one responded. We were allowed to meet Pawan Kalyan sir along with our parents to express our problems. He listened to us patiently and readily agreed to donate land before Dasara. And he kept his promise," said Srinivas.
Pawan has now directed panchayat officials across the state to identify suitable land parcels for playgrounds in every village. The project is one among many initiatives he has undertaken voluntarily. The actor-politician's commitment to service beyond electoral needs has won him laurels in the past too.
During his visit to Uddanam village in Srikakulam district a few months back, he saw the problems faced by kidney patients and extended aid. Besides ensuring that the villages were provided with clean drinking water, he enlisted experts from foreign countries to study and address the local health issues. He distributed sarees and puja materials to 12,000 women in Pithapuram during the auspicious Shravana masam.
His service also extended to Vizianagaram, where he donated ₹10 lakh to families impacted by diarrhoea outbreak last month. He has also extended support of Rs 1 lakh each to families of 300 tenant farmers, who committed suicide after failing to clear their debts. In September, he donated Rs 4 crore for Budameru flood relief, and also distributed Rs 1 lakh to each of the 400 flood-affected villages.
He also supported a promising student from his constituency, Pithapuram, by offering financial assistance for her medical education. Chakravartula Jagadeeswari, daughter of a local farmer, secured a good rank in NEET examination and approached Pawan's office at Pithapuram for help. Pawan donated Rs 4 lakh. "Though I secured a medical seat, financial issues pushed me back. My father approached Pawan sir's office at Pithapuram. A team from Jana Sena headquarters approached us and arranged a personal meeting with him. He assured all support and gave a cheque of Rs 4 lakh," said Jagadeeswari. The deputy CM also assured support for Jagadeeswari's future education.
Venu Lanka is a special correspondent, at The Times of India-Vija...
Read MoreVenu Lanka is a special correspondent, at The Times of India-Vijayawada. He covers developments related to VMC/APCRDA, Janasena, education, health, endowments, and agriculture-related stories. He holds two graduate degrees, one in business management and another in law. He completed his post-graduation in journalism and mass communication, apart from completing short-term courses.
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