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Mangalagiri, December 10: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday interacted with employees of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development departments during a special review meeting. The Deputy CM discussed issues related to staff welfare, promotions, and working conditions, and assured employees that the government is committed to strengthening rural governance.

Pawan Kalyan urged officials to work with dedication at the grassroots level to ensure effective implementation of welfare schemes and development programmes. He said transparent administration and the active role of village-level staff are key to delivering good governance and improving public trust in the system.

Vijayawada, December 10: The Kanaka Durga Temple authorities have completed extensive preparations for the Bhavani Deeksha Viramana festival scheduled from December 11 to 15, with over seven lakh devotees expected to participate this year. Compared to previous years, the temple administration has scaled up facilities to manage the heavy crowd and ensure smooth darshan for pilgrims.

Officials said special queue systems, 19 prasadam distribution counters, deployment of nearly 3,000 police personnel, and installation of around 300 CCTV cameras have been arranged for security and crowd control. A dedicated mobile application has also been introduced to help devotees with darshan updates and prasadam information, while health and sanitation teams will remain on constant duty during the festival period.

Amaravati, December 10: Incidents of paddy residue and stubble burning have witnessed a sharp rise across several districts of Andhra Pradesh following the completion of the Kharif harvest, triggering environmental and health concerns. Agricultural officials said the practice is causing air pollution, loss of soil nutrients, and health issues among rural populations. Satellite monitoring and field inspections have indicated an increase in such cases during the past few weeks.

In response, the state government has intensified awareness programmes through Rythu Seva Kendras, urging farmers to adopt eco-friendly alternatives such as residue mulching, composting, and in-situ management of crop waste. Authorities have warned that repeated violations may attract strict penalties, while incentives are also being considered for farmers who follow sustainable farming practices.

Vijayawada, December 10: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed senior officials to speed up the development of horticulture hubs across key regions of the state, especially in Prakasam and Rayalaseema districts. The government aims to bring nearly 20 lakh acres under horticulture cultivation in a phased manner to improve farmers’ income and promote crop diversification. Officials told the Chief Minister that improved cold storage facilities, better transport connectivity, and marketing support will also be strengthened as part of this initiative.

During a separate review of irrigation projects, Naidu stressed the importance of expediting major works such as the Polavaram and Nallamala Sagar projects. The state is targeting irrigation for 7 lakh new acres and stabilisation of another 6 lakh acres, besides providing drinking water to lakhs of households. A massive ₹20,000 crore infrastructure package, including ₹5,000 crore for rural road development, is being planned to support agriculture-led growth and rural livelihoods.