Pawan vows road connectivity to every tribal hamlet

Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan has pledged to provide road connectivity to every tribal habitation in Andhra Pradesh, aiming to end the long-standing practice of carrying patients on slings due to lack of motorable roads.
Participating in multiple programmes at Dumbriguda on Monday, Pawan Kalyan launched the ‘Adavi Talli Bata’ scheme, under which roads will be laid to connect tribal villages.
He also laid the foundation stone for several road works and assured the tribal communities of the government’s full support.
Addressing a large public gathering, he said the Chandrababu Naidu-led government has allocated Rs 1,005 crore for tribal welfare, contrasting it with the Rs 92 crore reportedly spent during the five-year rule of the YSRCP. “We will not stop at laying foundation stones; we will ensure that works are pursued until completed,” he declared.
The Deputy CM pointed out that of the 2,605 tribal habitations in the State, 1,177 still lack road connectivity. As part of the ‘Adavi Talli’ initiative, 1,069 such habitations will be connected through 558 new roads. He recalled his 2018 visit to the Araku region, where he witnessed the hardships faced by tribal communities.
“Roads will be built to every tribal village so that patients no longer need to be carried on slings to hospitals,” he said.
Pawan Kalyan also stated that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu immediately sanctioned Rs 49 crore upon his request for tribal road development. He added that funds have been released to all 13,326 panchayats to carry out development works, with allocations increased in line with earlier promises.
Highlighting Araku Valley’s tourism potential, he called for its development into a premier tourist destination.
Earlier, Pawan Kalyan visited Pedapadu village and a tribal hamlet, where he interacted with locals and listened to their concerns.
Tribal Welfare Minister and district in-charge Gummidi Sandyarani, Council Whip Pidugu Hariprasad, MLAs P Ramesh Babu and S Vijay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary Sheshi Bhushan Kumar, Commissioner Krishnateja, and District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar accompanied him during the visit.