Balaraju writes to PM, Antony

Visakhapatnam: Respecting the CWC decision to bifurcate the State, Tribal Welfare Minister P Balaraju has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and GoM chairman A K Antony seeking sops to tribal areas, if the bifurcation is inevitable. Copies of the letters were released to the press here on Tuesday. Balaraju appealed for conversion of major ITDAs of Paderu, Utnoor and Rampachodavaram as districts, setting up of tribal universities in both Seemandhra and Telangana and building of a national highway from Tallapalem (Vizag district) to Bhadrachalam, covering Narsipatnam, Upper Seleru, Lower Seleru, Mothugundam, Darakonda and Chintapalli,for connecting Khammam, East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts He also called for a national highway between Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts covering Chintapalli, G Madugula, Paderu, Hukumpeta, Dumriguda, Araku, Anantagilri and S Kota, and another NH linking Vaddadi, Paderu, Pedabayalu, Muchingiputtu and Jwalapet tribal areas, The minister sought a State highway connecting tribal areas of Narsipatnam, K D Peta, Koyyuru, Rajavommangi and Rampachodavaram, a medical college and technical and professional institutions exclusively for tribals.

Balaraju pleaded for development all important tribal areas as tourist hubs and laying of a railway line covering Rajahmundry, Rampachodavaram, Chintapalli and Paderu, besides tribal development councils in both the regions.