PNS|Vijayawada
The work of setting up the 125-foot bronze statue of Dr Ambedkar on a 70-feet pedestal structure started on Thursday, with prayers from all faiths at Swaraj Maidan. Firstly, the shoe parts were arranged.
On the occasion, Social Welfare Minister Merugu Nagarjuna said that Dr BR Ambedkar’s 125-feet bronze statue would be written in history with golden letters. The Cabinet sub-committee ministers Botsa Satyanarayana, Kottu Satyanarayana and others inspected the works on BR Ambedkar Smriti Vanam.
Meruga Nagarjuna said that the State government had allocated Rs 300 crore for the installation of the statue of Ambedkar in the heart of Vijayawada city, as per the wish of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Along with the construction of the Ambedkar statue, library, convention hall and Smriti Vanam are being established.
He said that the Chief Minister was regularly reviewing and giving appropriate suggestions.
The Jagan Mohan Reddy government had laid great emphasis on social justice and was taking Ambedkar’s ideology to the people by giving utmost priority to the welfare of Dalits.
He said that the previous TDP government ignored Ambedkar’s ideology and decided to install the statue at a remote and isolated place in the thorny bushes, but the works did not commence.
The minister added that the Ambedkar memorial would be made accessible to all people. The Chief Minister said the construction work should be completed by April 14. The work would be completed in coordination with all the departments.
Endowments Minister Kottu Satyanarayana said that all were working together in accordance with the Chief Minister’s idea of erecting Ambedkar’s statue spending crores of rupees. Engineers, sculptors and officials want to complete the construction on time. “The installation of Ambedkar’s statue is a matter of pride for the people of Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
