Collector raises Palamur’s brand image

​Mahbubnagar: Ever since, Dr T K Sridevi took charge as District Collector of Mahbubnagar one-and-a-half year ago, she has been striving hard to ensure all round development of the district.

Known for her straightforwardness, the District Collector has evolved her own style of working and has achieved many a things in just a span of one year. A major achievement among all is the successful conduct of ‘Krishna Pushkaralu.’

This event has in fact totally changed the perceptions of people about the district, who otherwise regarded Mahbubnagar as underdeveloped and care of migration. “Mahbubnagar is abundant in natural resources, only thing it is lacking is commitment, conviction and caliber to mould these resources into opportunities,” says the Collector, during an interaction.

Mahbubnagar also known popularly as Palamuru district is the largest district in Telangana. Ever since State formation, the district has been known for all the wrong reasons - backwardness in education, irrigation, industry and employment, in fact the district is branded for its large scale migration and poverty.

However, with Dr T K Sridevi taking the reigns as Collector, she build a set of her own trusted team of officials and chalked out her own plan of action to change the brand image of Mahbubnagar from that of a hub for migrating Palamuru labour to that of source of opportunities.

When asked the reasons for large-scale migration and steps taken by the district administration to contain it, she says, one should not look migration of people from a negative angle, though migration may reflect the lack of employment and livelihood opportunities, but on the positive side it also implies that the Palamuru people were talented and capable of doing both skilled and non-skilled work and can make a living anywhere in India.

“Who said Mahbubnagar is backward; it has wonderful resources such as 300 kilometre-long Krishna River flowing through it, well laid national highways connecting Hyderabad, Srisailam, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Raichur passing through the district.

The traditional handicrafts and handloom and textile industries in Gadwal and Narayanpet have carved out their own niche since ages. Only problem we have is lack of commitment and conviction. I believe we can overcome the problem of migration and backwardness by creating opportunities, improving access to education and by successfully implementing the welfare schemes of the government,” says the Collector.

Right from the day one, the Collector had focused on issues raised by people and found solutions within the prescribed administrative framework yet left her mark on every achievement. With her caliber, the Collector achieved 2nd place for the district for successfully implementing ‘Digital India’ programme and was awarded at national level.

Another major achievement for the Collector is land acquisition for the prestigious Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation project, in just a short span of time the Collector she could succeed in pooling more than 15000 acres out of required 26,000 acres by conducting Grama Sabhas and convinced the farmers to accept compensation under GO 123.

‘Advantage Mahabubnagar’ is another brain child programme of the District Collector. As part of this programme, the Collector held an industrial meet at Kottur and through her PowerPoint presentation she could motivate and attract young entrepreneurs to use natural and human resources in the district, which gained more than Rs. 650 crore as investments for the district.

Apart from implementing government welfare programmes and taking up development activities such as Haritha Haram, Mission Kakatiya, Mission Bhagiratha, the Collector also concentrated on eradication of social evils like child marriages, female infanticide and eradication of Gudumba (illicit Liquor) menace from the district.

As part of her efforts to improve education she took special care for digital classrooms where in 465 government and KGBV schools were installed with the advanced teaching technology.

As the last Collector for the united Mahbubnagar district, Dr T K Sridevi is credited for her tireless efforts to improve the district in all spheres and change its brand from that of hub for migration to hub for opportunities and growth.