Sachin’s day out in adopted AP village

​Nellore: Gawking villagers, awe-struck fans and exuberant officials got a chance once again on Tuesday to rub shoulders with Rajya Sabha member and Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who visited Puttam Rajuvari Kandriga, the village in Gudur mandal that he had adopted under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana two years ago.

Sachin visited the village on the same day two years ago for the first time and had laid foundation stones for various developmental works.

Sachin inaugurated the community building that was constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.15 crore and interacted with officials on the implementation of Swacch Bharat initiatives at a programme organized on the same premises.

Upon adoption, Sachin had contributed Rs 2.79 crore to PR Kandriga and the district administration mobilized another Rs. 3.20 cr for taking up various works.

Thanks to committed efforts, the village has since been rated as the best village under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana in respect of various parameters fixed by the Central government.

“The village achieved good progress during the last two years with the support of officials and you people in the village. Now, India needs Swacch and Swastha Bharat and your village will be a role model for it.

You will be happy and healthy with this infrastructure,” observed Sachin Tendulkar, while interacting with the villagers. In fact, the village has seen complete transformation, with Sachin declaring it ‘open defecation free’.

The cricket legend also distributed cricket bats and sporting kits to children at the newly constructed playground on the occasion of completion of Phase I of the developmental works.

“We are now taking up works under the first phase. Second phase works will also be taken up in other two habitations -- Nernuru and Gollapalli.

I am adopting those two villages too. Children should play along with routine academic activity,” said Sachin. He handed over a grant of Rs. 90 lakh as part of the total requirement of Rs. 3.05 cr for CC Roads, water, drains and electricity.

While legging it out in the village, Sachin had a cup of tea at the house of Mahesh with whose family members he had spent time in 2014.

“You (villagers) promised me to stop consuming tobacco and liquor and hope you gave them up. I remember the conditions in the village were appalling two years ago and there has been a great progress since and appreciate your support to the officials and implementing agencies.

I will definitely come again and inaugurate the stadium being built in Gudur at a cost of Rs. 3 cr if other sports are also included,” said Sachin.

Initially, Joint Collector A. Md. Imtiyaz outlined the progress of the works and the plans for taking up works in the other two villages of the same gram panchayat.

Collector R Mutyala Raju assured the gathering that they would make the village a model for the country.

Local legislator P Sunil Kumar earlier invited the cricket icon to inaugurate a stadium being constricted in the name of Sachin.

ZP Chairman B Raghavendra Reddy appealed for similar development process in many villages across the district. Mahesh, to whose house Sachin went again, said women were now fearless with CC roads, electricity at night time.

They have 100 pc toilets and appreciated the villagers for honouring the request of the master blaster on giving up tobacco and liquor.

MLC Vakati Narayana Reddy, sarpanch B Nageswara Rao and others were present.

Sachin also visited Navaneetha Public School at Turpu Kanupuru being run by the Krishnapatnam Port management and interacted with the children there.

He appreciated the efforts of the management in providing corporate education to the poor and needy.

Managing Director C Sasidhar, Principal Sunitha Varma and others were present.