A special Gram Sabha titled ‘Viksit Bharat–Jai Ram Ji’ was held on Monday in Chettupalli village, under the mandal limits, with a focus on rural development and employment schemes. The meeting was organised under the supervision of panchayat secretaries and MGNREGS staff, and was attended by alliance leaders as chief guests, along with a large number of village employment workers.
The Gram Sabha witnessed active participation from rural labourers, local representatives and community members, making the programme a success. The meeting aimed to explain recent policy changes in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and to encourage public involvement in village-level development initiatives.
Speaking at the gathering, Udi Chakravarthi, Vice President of the Jana Sena Party from the erstwhile Visakhapatnam district, highlighted the important reforms introduced in the employment guarantee scheme. He said that timely wage payment for every day of work would be strictly ensured. In case of delays, a delay compensation system would be implemented, offering greater financial security to rural workers.
Chakravarthi also revealed that the number of workdays under MGNREGS, which was earlier limited to 100 days per year, is proposed to be increased to 125 days. He stated that this move would create more employment opportunities in villages and provide additional income support to poor and working-class families. Eligible residents without job cards were urged to apply immediately and make use of the scheme for their family’s economic progress.
The speaker further called upon villagers to actively participate in programmes such as the Viksit Grama Panchayat Plan, Swachh Sankranthi, and Swachh Gram initiatives. He stressed that collective effort from villagers and cooperation with panchayat staff are essential to transform Chettupalli into a model village. He expressed hope that with consistent cleanliness and development efforts, the village could achieve the Swachh Panchayat Award.
The event was attended by panchayat secretaries Sravani and Phani, village sarpanch Nagaratnam, Sooribabu, Vice MPP Ramanaratnam, Telugu Desam Party president Kalimi Sattibabu, MGNREGS VRP Sheikh Jilani, senior TDP leader Rajanna, along with several other leaders and villagers. Participants said the Gram Sabha helped them gain better clarity on government schemes and their benefits.
