Ponnam launches Husnabad outreach; Gouravelli project to be completed at earliest

What Happened

Minister for Transport and Backward Classes Welfare Ponnam Prabhakar launched a mass contact programme titled “Palle Palleku Ponnam Anna – Palle Pallello Praja Palana” in Duddenapalli, Saidapur mandal, as part of outreach in the Husnabad Assembly constituency. He stated that hurdles to the Gouravelli irrigation project have been cleared and that works are progressing briskly. He said land acquisition for the project’s canals is underway and that the project would be completed at the earliest, providing irrigation water to an ayacut of 1.06 lakh acres. He inaugurated a Palle Dawakhana building at Duddenapalli and later similar buildings at Eklaspur and Vennamapalli in Saidapur mandal, interacting with villagers at Rythu Vedika in Duddenapalli.

Prabhakar outlined that the outreach aims to cover all 173 villages in Husnabad Assembly constituency, focusing on addressing grievances and bringing administration closer to people through various departments. He announced several welfare measures, including new pensions to be sanctioned in saturation mode for eligible groups such as widows, single women, persons with disabilities, toddy tappers and handloom workers, with applications open until August 31. He urged water conservation measures like farm ponds and soak pits under the Telangana Jalasri programme in view of El Nino impacts and advised farmers to consider less water-intensive crops. He also mentioned financial incentives: ₹5 lakh to gram panchayats that complete oil palm cultivation on 200 acres and ₹3.56 crore sanctioned for the Duddenapalli-Mogilipalli bridge. He highlighted flagship schemes such as Indiramma housing and Rythu Bharosa and directed officials to address petitions promptly.

Why It Matters

The programme ties infrastructure development, irrigation expansion, and social welfare into a single outreach effort, signaling a continued push to deliver on irrigation and basic amenities in the Husnabad constituency. If land acquisition proceeds as described, the Gouravelli project could progress, potentially affecting water availability for a large area and supporting agricultural planning in the ayacut. The emphasis on saturation pension coverage and water conservation signals a broad approach to improving living standards while mitigating drought-related risks in the region.