VIJAYAWADA: After seven-and-a-half decades of Independence, electrical lights have illuminated the houses of 17 tribal families in the remote Gudem hamlet of Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, thanks to the proactive initiative of Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) Pawan Kalyan.
The electrification project, completed in just five months, marks a historic milestone for this isolated hilltop settlement under Rompalli Gram Panchayat in Ananthagiri mandal.
On Wednesday, coinciding with Karthika Pournami, all 17 houses in Gudem got electricity connections.
The project involved laying power lines over 9.6 km through dense forest and rugged terrain, installing 217 electric poles, and setting up a dedicated transformer. Each house was provided with five bulbs, and one fan free of cost.
The hamlet, situated 50 km from the mandal headquarters, had remained cut off from basic infrastructure like roads, safe drinking water and electricity. Residents lived in constant fear of wild animals at night, and relied on lanterns.
Despite repeated appeals to authorities over the years, no solution materialised until the tribals took their woes to Pawan Kalyan’s notice five months ago. Moved by their plight, the Deputy CM directed the ASR District Collector to prioritise electrification of the hamlet. He coordinated with Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar and APEPDCL CMD Prithvi Tej for the speedy execution of the project at an estimated cost of Rs 80 lakh.
Elated tribal families perform ‘Ksheera Abhishekam’ to Pawan Kalyan’s portrait
It was executed using Central funds under the Non-PV GEET scheme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
As a sustainable measure, solar panels were also installed and connected to the grid—the first hybrid solar-wind power system in a tribal village under the PM Janman Yojana, costing Rs 10.22 lakh.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre has allocated funds to bring light to remote tribal peaks. The NDA government in the State under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu prioritises provision of basic infrastructure for all—the electrification of Gudem stands as a proof,” Pawan Kalyan said.
He extended gratitude to Energy Minister Ravi Kumar, the APEPDCL CMD and field staff for overcoming extreme challenges to complete the work in just 15 days.
Overwhelmed with joy, the tribal families celebrated the occasion. They performed ‘Ksheera Abhishekam’ to the portrait of Pawan Kalyan, expressing gratitude. Yelamanchili MLA Sundarapu Vijay Kumar, Jana Sena activists from Araku visited the hamlet and joined the celebrations.