Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has reaffirmed his commitment to serving tribal communities on Friday, as he visited Bagujola and Girishikhara villages in Makkuva mandal, Parvathipuram Manyam district. Addressing the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a Rs. 9.50 crore tarred road connecting Bagujola and Sirivara, Pawan, along with Tribal Affairs Minister Gummidi Sandhyarani, assured relentless efforts towards the betterment of the tribal population.
"We roamed among the people when we were not in power. Now that we are, we will stand by you, wipe your tears, and bring happiness to your lives," he said, addressing the tribals. He highlighted some of the ongoing projects in the district and revealed that an amount of Rs. 36.71 crore is being invested in road construction in the district. "Once completed, these roads will resolve the challenges of Doli transportation," he assured.
He criticized the previous YSRCP government for not accounting for Rs. 670 crore allocated by the Centre for backward districts between 2021-22. Despite limited resources, the coalition government led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is pushing forward with developmental projects.
Pawan stressed the need for connectivity to be improved for tribal villages. "In 2017, I personally saw the hardships of tribals, which brought tears to my eyes. I urged the Chief Minister to prioritize road development for 4,000 tribal villages," he shared.
He said that small clusters of families in the hilly regions lack basic amenities. "For locations with 200-300 families, development becomes easier. For the next year, I will be working on ways to address remote hilly areas. Along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, we will make sure that your grievances are addressed," he promised.
During his speech, Pawan emphasized the requirement of schools rather than temples. "When someone suggested building a temple, I responded, 'No temple, we need schools.' Education is the key to progress," he said. He also took a veiled jab at former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, remarking on the importance of humility and actionable leadership.
Pawan promised to visit tribal areas every ten days and reiterated his commitment to improve their lives. "I owe a debt to you and will do everything possible to ease your difficulties," he said.
Urging the public to hold officials accountable, Pawan said, "I do not see caste, religion, or region—only humanity. If you witness negligence or corruption in our work, question us boldly. This awareness must come from you."
He also criticized those hindering development with baseless rhetoric. "Shouting and abandoning development will not build roads. Let me work, and I will demonstrate what real progress looks like," he said.
Pawan admiringly said that the natural beauty of the Manyam district is something to be harnessed. He had plans to develop the area as a tourist destination. "With more than 20 waterfalls and full of lush greenery, Manyam has huge scope. I will transform it as a tourist destination, thus providing employment to the tribals," he said.
The event was attended by Tribal Affairs Minister Gummidi Sandhyarani, Government Whip Kurupam MLA Toyaka Jagadeeswari, and several district officials, including Collector A. Shyam Prasad and SP Madhav Reddy.
