VIJAYAWADA: Voicing concern over the stray dog menace, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister P Narayana on Thursday directed municipal commissioners to complete dog sterilisation within 200 days.
Addressing a State-Level Workshop in Vijayawada, he cited the recent death of a four-year-old boy in Guntur and stressed urgency in preventing such incidents.
Narayana also emphasised civic priorities like sanitation, street lighting, roads, and drinking water, especially during summer.
He urged municipalities to boost tax collection and use funds strictly for local development.
The Minister lauded the officials for collecting over Rs 500 crore more in taxes than the previous year.
MA&UD Director Dr P Sampath Kumar called for better fund utilisation in waste management and infrastructure. Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar said urban population may reach 2.5 crore and urged readiness. Senior officials from key urban bodies attended the workshop.