No tolerance for neglect of Chenchu community

Nandyal: Andhra Pradesh State Scheduled Tribes (ST) Commission Member P Venkatappa warned that any negligence towards the Chenchu tribal community will not be tolerated, and stressed that government welfare schemes must reach every eligible beneficiary without delay.

He made these remarks during a review meeting held with Chenchu residents at Vijaya Durga Chenchu Gudem, Velugodu Mandal, in Nandyal district on Friday.

The meeting was chaired by ITDA Srisailam Project Officer Venkata Shivaprasad, and was also attended by Tribal Advisory Council Member Venkatapathi.

The leaders listened to grievances raised by Chenchu families from various mandals and instructed officials to take immediate steps to resolve the issues through coordinated departmental action.

They reiterated that the coalition government is committed to ensuring basic facilities and welfare benefits for all tribal communities.

As part of development initiatives, it was announced that a CC road worth Rs. 40 lakh has been sanctioned for the Velugodu Chenchu Gudem.

The officials also stated that efforts are being made to secure approval for 45 houses under the PM Janman scheme, and assured that the construction of houses will be completed through coordination between the ITDA and Housing Department.

The leaders emphasized that Aadhaar cards are essential for accessing welfare schemes, and directed officials to immediately enroll those without Aadhaar.

They also instructed that birth/date-of-birth certificates should be issued to all eligible persons, and mandated that mandal-level officials must visit Chenchu habitations at least once a week to identify problems and ensure timely solutions.

During the programme, tarpaulin sheets were distributed to 45 families in the Vijaya Durga Chenchu colony.

Several ITDA officials, mandal-level officers, and representatives of tribal and rights organisations participated in the meeting.