NELLORE: Two years after cricket icon and Rajya Sabha member Sachin Tendulkar adopted Puttam Rajuvari Kandriga village under Gudur Rural mandal in Nellore under the Sansaad Adarsh Gram Yojana , the Master Blaster on Wednesday announced that he would adopt two more villages in the district - Nernuru and Gollapalli. Sachin on Wednesday visited P R Kandriga village, which he had adopted in 2014.
During his day-long visit, he inaugurated a community hall building in the village constructed at a cost of Rs 1.15 crore, interacted with the villagers and officials, before declaring the village open defecation-free.
Sachin had adopted the village and contributed Rs 2.79 crore from his MPLADS funds for the development of the locality and the district administration too had provided an additional funding of Rs 3.2 crore for taking up various development works.
During an interaction with the villagers, the cricket legend gave the credit for the development works to the officials and villagers too. “The village has achieved a good progress during the last two years with the support of officials and you people (villagers). Now, India needs Swachh and Swasth Bharat and your village will be a role model.”
“You will be happy and healthy with the developed infrastructure,” Sachin said, adding that the village had a complete transformation.
He distributed cricket bats and sports kits to children at the newly constructed playground on the completion of Phase I of the development works. “We are now taking up works under the first phase. Second phase works will also be taken up in another two habitations such as Nernuru and Gollapalli. I am adopting those two villages too,” Sachin announced before handing over a grant of Rs 90 lakh of the total requirement of Rs 3.05 crore for laying of CC roads, setting up drinking water, drainage and electricity infrastructure.
He also handed over the job recruitment documents to the village youth, who were recently selected through a job mela.
PR Kandriga sarpanch Bujja Nageshwar Rao felicitated Sachin Tendulkar.
Addressing a public meeting, Sachin said children should be allowed to balance their studies and recreation. Emphasising the importance of Swachh and Swasth Bharat, he said the village had such healthy and happy conditions with significant development.
He also assured legislators to inaugurate a cricket stadium at Gudur, when they include other sports in the grounds.
Taking part in the programme, Nellore collector Revu Mutyala Raju said the district administration was striving hard to make PR Kandriga a model village.
As the works have been grounded temporarily, housing will be provided for villagers.
He also said the second phase
of works would be completed within a year at Nernuru and Gollapalli which are a part of the Nernuru Panchayat along with PR Kandriga. Basic amenities along with development activities will be taken up in these villages with around
Rs 3.05 crore.
On his part, Sachin had allocated Rs 1.8 lakh from his MPLADS funds and Rs 90 lakh sanctioned for the second phase.