andhra-pradesh

Updated: Nov 16, 2016 21:12 IST

Former cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar was virtually stumped on Wednesday by the transformation of a remote dusty hamlet in Andhra Pradesh, that he adopted two years ago, into a smart, swanky village.

Tendulkar received a rousing cheer when he visited Puttam Rajuvari Kandriga (PR Kandriga) in Nellore district on Wednesday, the first time he visited the hamlet after sanctioning Rs 2.90 crore under the Sansad Adarh Gram Yojana (SAGY) in October 2014 from his MP local area development funds.

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In the two years the village has developed wide cemented roads, tiled pavements, an underground drainage system, sewerage treatment plant, installed round-the-clock electricity and water supply, a playground, a community hall, and modern kitchen and dining room for its primary school.

“It’s unbelievable. The village has witnessed tremendous transformation in the last two years. I am glad that the village has become open defecation-free by effectively implementing the Swachch Bharat programme. It is heartening to note that the village stood no. 1 in the country in development under SAGY,” Sachin said.

Visibly impressed by the villagers, Sachin said he would always be with them whenever they needed his services. “I will come back to the village again very soon.”

During his hour-long stay, Sachin inaugurated the newly-built community hall, distributed cricket kits for the village youth and played the game with them for a bit. He also had tea at one villager’s residence. Later, he visited the home of Vijayamma, a self-help group member, and enquired about the employment opportunities available in the village.

Sachin also held a meeting with the district officials and reviewed the implementation of Swachch Bharat programme in the village. He sanctioned an additional Rs 90 lakh from his MP funds for the Gollapalli gram panchayat under which PR Kandriga falls. The Andhra Pradesh government also released Rs 3.05 crore for the development of this panchayat.