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Fund slash for Medaram Jatara flayed
The leaders of Opposition parties and tribal organisations have expressed serious displeasure at cutting down funds for the biannual Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, scheduled to be held from January 31 to February 3, 2018.
Bhupalpally: The leaders of Opposition parties and tribal organisations have expressed serious displeasure at cutting down funds for the biannual Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, scheduled to be held from January 31 to February 3, 2018.
It may be noted that the district administration has submitted proposals worth Rs 147 crore to the government and the government approved Rs 104 crore worth works. But the government released a GO releasing only Rs 80.55 crores, causing a reduction of about Rs 24 crores.
“Firstly, the government reduced the funds while approving the works. Now it lowered the funds release. It could affect the jatara arrangements as the department would fall short for funds to carry out required works,” complained Bhupalpally ex-MLA and former chief whip G Venkata Ramana Reddy.
Reducing the funds release for jatara works clearly displays the negligent attitude of the TRS government towards Sammakka Saralamma Jatara. The delay in the release of the funds also reflects the government’s indifferent approach.
Being the biggest tribal congregation in Asia, Medaram jatara is expected to be attended by nearly 1.20 crore devotees this time. The delayed release and lower amount funds would have a negative impact on jatara arrangements, he pointed out.
The roads and buildings department is the major partaker in jatara arrangements. But the government released only Rs 20 crores of the proposed Rs 74.50 crore. It is not even half of the required amount, Ramana Reddy told The Hans India.
The government must immediately release the remaining Rs 24 crores funds, he demanded. The same is the demand of Tudum Debba state vice-president Komuram Prabhakar. He said reducing release of the funds for jatara works is nothing insulting the devotees and the tribal for whom the Medaram jatara holds great significance.
He said during the last jatara the government diverted ST-sub plan funds for making jatara arrangements. Rs 80.55 crores would not suffice in view of the huge size of the congregation at Medaram during the jatara. It seems that the government is disregarding tribals and their festivals, he added.
TDP Bhupalpally district president G Satyanarayana Rao also wanted the government to release Rs 24 crore, which the government cut back from the total approved works.
