ANANTAPUR: The announcement by the state government on the creation of Sri Sathya Sai district has sent thousands of Sathya Sai devotees across the globe into a jubilant mood. In Puttaparthi, several devotees celebrated the decision by bursting firecrackers on Wednesday.
RJ Rathnakar, managing trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, called it a historic day and thanked Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for the great honour to Sathya Sai Baba. He thanked all the public representatives including MLAs and MPs for supporting the decision. The re-organised political map of Andhra Pradesh has 26 districts and Puttaparthi becomes the headquarters of the newly formed Sri Sathya Sai district. The geographical size of the district is 7,771 kms with a population of 17.22 lakh (1.72 million). Sri Sathya Sai district will have six Legislative Assembly constituencies — Madakasira, Hindupur, Penukonda, Dharmavaram, Puttaparthi and Kadiri. It will also have three revenue divisions — Puttaparthi, Penukonda and Kadiri and 29 revenue mandals (13 in Penukonda, eight in Kadiri and eight in Puttaparthi).
The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust expressed its gratitude to the state government for the thoughtful gesture. “The State government’s decision to pay tribute to Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s immense contribution for the spiritual upliftment of the society by naming the district in the name of Sri Sathya Sai Baba is highly commendable,” Rathnakar said and added it is a beginning of a new era. For decades, the people of Puttaparthi have been seeking formation of a district after Sathya Sai Baba with Puttaparthi as its headquarters.
The formation of Sri Sathya Sai district will ease administration and micro management of various people-centric activities by the government. New government offices will be set up in and around Puttaparthi, creating various avenues for income generation and employment creation to the people of the area, particularly youth.
As Puttaparthi already has all the infrastructure including a functional airport and is closer to Bangalore Airport, it will attract the corporate world to set up their branches around Puttaparthi.
Residents of Puttaparthi and surrounding villages are pouring into the ashram to thank Rathnakar for his efforts in making the long cherished dream a reality.