Over 2 lakh families have benefitted from NTR Bharosa penions, says Chittoor Collector

Chittoor Republic Day celebrations highlight achievements in governance, infrastructure, and social welfare initiatives for district development.

The Republic Day celebrations in Chittoor district were marked by patriotic fervour at the Police Training Centre here on Sunday, where District Collector Sumit Kumar inaugurated the event by unfurling the national flag.

In his address, the Collector underscored this year’s theme ‘Culture Preservation and Development’. He paid homage to the sacrifices of martyrs, specifically highlighting Pangala Karthik Yadav, an Army jawan from Bangarupalem mandal, who was killed in an extremist attack in Jammu and Kashmir recently.

The Collector also acknowledged the district’s achievements under various governmental initiatives. The NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme has demonstrated notable success, benefiting 2,66,000 families. The pension amounts have been revised, with old-age pension set at ₹4,000, pension for the disabled at ₹6,000, and ₹15,000 allocated for bedridden individuals and accident victims.

Under the Deepam-2 Scheme, 3.17 lakh families with below poverty line (BPL) cards, have benefited from the provision of three free gas cylinders annually, at an expenditure of ₹25.58 crores. Development projects within rural communities have also accelerated through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), resulting in the completion of more than 1,609 projects, including the construction of 1,150 concrete roads, along with the establishment of 2,108 Gokulam sheds at a cost of ₹50 crores to enhance dairy production.

In terms of infrastructure development, the construction of the Chittoor-Tatchur national highway is currently in progress with a budget of ₹3,800 crores, anticipated to be completed by June 2025. Additionally, significant progress is expected on the Chennai-Bangalore national highway, scheduled for completion in March 2026.

Efforts to address public grievances are actively proceeding, with 40,000 complaints resolved through online platforms and dedicated gram sabhas. The Collector praised the commitment of the district administration and local representatives in executing the Chief Minister’s vision development plan, which aims at holistic growth.

The celebrations concluded with a call for collaborative efforts toward achieving further progress and ensuring that Chittoor plays a vital role in the overall development of Andhra Pradesh.