HYDERABAD: Gift a Smile, a novel initiative started by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao on his birthday last year, continues to do good this year as well.
Under the initiative, the Minister will be donating 100 custom-built vehicles to differently-abled persons on his birthday, July 24, this year.
“Last year on the eve of my birthday, I had personally donated six ambulances and our TRS MLAs and MPs joined in taking the total number to 100. This year too, I decided that the best way to celebrate is to ‘Gift A Smile’ in my personal capacity to 100 differently-abled persons with custom-made vehicles,” he tweeted on Thursday.
He called upon his well-wishers, party leaders and others asking them against spending money on cakes, advertisements, hoardings and even flower bouquets to greet him. Further, he requested TRS party leaders and other well-wishers to plant a sapling, as part of Mukkoti Vruksharchana, or help someone in need under Gift A Smile.
Many public representatives and prominent personalities have come forward to contribute a few vehicles. While MLC Naveen Rao said he would donate 100 vehicles, MLCs Shambipur Raju and Pochampally Srinivas Reddy promised to donate 60 vehicles each.
Minister Puvvada Ajay donated 50 vehicles and MLA Balka Suman promised to donate 50 vehicles, while MLA Gadari Kishore said that he would donate 20 tricycles. Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, MLAs K Vidyasagar Rao, Saidi Reddy Shanampudi, Jeevan Reddy and a few others have also volunteered to donate vehicles.