Finally, Puttaparthi wins battle over Penukonda

Puttaparthi (Anantapur): The State government releasing a gazette notification on making Puttaparthi as a district headquarter for the creation of second district in Hindupur Parliamentary constituency, came as a rude shock to the Minister for Roads and Buildings M Sankara Narayana and also to the people of Penukonda region. It was believed that Minister Narayana, who calls the shots in the region, will prevail over the Chief Minister Y S Jagan Reddy to zero in for Penukonda. While everyone believed that the government will make a formal announcement declaring Penukonda as the new district headquarter but the government gazette notification declared Puttaparthi as the new Sathya Sai District. Going by the manner in which chief minister had been redeeming his Padayatra promises, no one thought on the lines that Jagan Mohan Reddy will opt for Puttaparthi as the new district as he had during his padayatra promised the people of Puttaparthi that he would make Puttaparthi as the new district headquarters and exactly in tune with his promise he zeroed in for Puttaparthi. Besides it is learnt that the Sathya Sai Central Trustee Ratnakar worked behind the scenes in influencing the chief minister and in batting for the International Spiritual Centre. Ratnakar had met the chief minister twice in Amaravati to make sure that Penukonda bigwigs do not hijack what was promised to Puttaparthi alone.

For the past two years Penukonda and Puttaparthi formed 'zilla sadhana samithis' and actively campaigned for making the respective towns the district headquarters but finally the dice fell on Puttaparthi against popular expectations. However, on making occasions Puttaparthi MLA Sridhar expressed confidence while speaking to The Hans India' that he would be a winner in the battle for Puttaparthi as headquarter. Puttaparthi is of course known to be a beautiful town with necessary infrastructure facilities. There are tens of buildings belonging to the Sai Trust and foreign devotees including Villas which can house the new district administration. The town has an Airport owned by the Sai Trust.

There is excitement in Puttaparthi while gloom set in Penukonda with the government announcement. The announcement came as a morale booster to the Sai devotees who felt isolated and due to the town losing its sheen after the demise of the Baba. The devotees feel that the government announcement will give an official recognition to Puttaparthi as an International Spiritual Tourism Centre. The demand for bifurcation of the large district with 63 mandals had been decades old but the latest policy decision of the YSRCP to double the number of districts into 27 districts has given wings to local people's demand to bifurcate the district into Anantapur and Hindupur districts. Before the YSRCP came to power, everyone thought Hindupur will be the automatic choice because of its proximity to Bengaluru international airport.

Speaking to The Hans India, Puttaparthi MLA D Sridhar hailed the announcement favouring Puttaparthi. He revealed that he had made a strong case before the chief minister that Puttaparthi has many merits to be made as the new district headquarters. Puttaparthi is already an internationally famous town having an international airport and having the support of strong Sathya Sai Trust. It has buildings and other infrastructure with a beautiful landscape.