State Chief Secretary Dr KS Jawahar Reddy stated that revised guidelines would be immediately issued regarding the distribution of various pensions across the State. On Monday, he held a video conference with the District Collectors from the State Secretariat on the distribution of pensions, precautionary measures for heatwaves, drinking water, employment guarantee works, and the electricity supply situation.
Speaking about the distribution of pensions in the state, CS Jawahar Reddy clarified to the collectors that starting from April 3, village and ward secretariats would issue revised guidelines on Monday night regarding the distribution of pensions through other employees. Opinions were gathered from various district collectors and state-level officials on how to distribute pensions. The CS made it clear to the collectors that revised guidelines would be issued immediately on the distribution of pensions. Jawahar Reddy instructed the officials of disaster management and the district collectors to take appropriate measures to create awareness among the public about the precautionary measures to be taken in the wake of increasing heatwaves.
In particular, he emphasized that employment guarantee work should be completed before 10:30 am, drinking water and adequate shade should be provided at places where labourers work, and medical kits should be made available.
The officials of the education department mentioned that proper precautions should be taken as schools are being held at one time. Principal Secretary Education Praveen Prakash responded to this and explained that the Commissioner of School Education has already issued a circular to hold classes from 7:40 am to 12:30 pm.
CS Jawahar Reddy told the collectors of the respective districts that water would be released from the Prakasam barrage to Eluru, Bandaru, and Raivas canals on April 4 and through the Nagarjuna Sagar right main canal on April 8 to fill freshwater ponds given the summer. The CS directed the collectors to ensure that the water released for filling the drinking water ponds is not diverted to aqua farming and to ensure that the tail-end area receives water properly.
State Water Resources, Panchayat Raj, and Rural Development Department Principal Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar said that the Collectors are taking steps to implement the summer contingency plan in 20 districts. He mentioned that water supply through tanks, hiring of bore wells, flushing, and deepening of bore wells will be undertaken especially in the drinking water scarce areas. He also mentioned that currently, 549 CPWS schemes in the state are functioning properly. He said that AP has stood at the second position in the country with a labour budget of 25.37 crore working days in 2024. He also stated that Andhra Pradesh is second in the country by providing 100 days of work to 6.49 lakh people and has set a record in the history of employment guarantee schemes.
SS Rawat, Special Chief Secretary Finance, Praveen Prakash, Principal Secretary Education, SERP CEO Muralidhar Reddy, Panchayat Raj Commissioner K Kanna Babu, Disaster Management Director R Kurmanad, RDBUS ENC Krishna Reddy, and other officials participated in this meeting.
