The Hindu Business Line : This MLA drives home electoral promises

The slogan of Mr Malladi Krishna Rao, who was elected as an independent candidate to the Pondicherry Assembly from Yanam for the second consecutive term, is "there will be no huts in my constituency by 2005". And he's been true to his word.

At the time of elections, there were an estimated 2,200 huts in Yanam. So far, Mr Rao has ensured that 2,050 pucca houses were built in place of these huts. The Pondicherry Government had sanctioned Rs 35,000 per house for their construction. Mr Rao has also got sanction from the Government for the construction of an additional 720 pucca houses this year.

Thus, "not only the 150 old huts but also whatever new huts that have come up in my constituency will be converted into pucca houses," the legislator told Business Line.

In recognition of his service to the people, the Pondicherry Government had conferred the `Best MLA' and `Best Social Worker' awards on him.

Ever since he became a legislator eight years ago, Mr Rao said that he had ensured that the Pondicherry Government had sanctioned at least Rs 15 crore per annum for the development of Yanam. This amount was spent on the development of roads, provision of protected water supply, improvement of drains, construction of houses and establishment of Government schools and colleges.

Mr Rao is now planning to establish sports grounds at a cost of Rs 3 crore and the construction of an indoor stadium at a cost of Rs 7 crore. Yanam already boasts of an engineering college and he is trying for the establishment of a medical college. His next programme includes conversion of tiled roofs into RCC structures and transforming Yanam into an education centre.

Following the improvement of drains in Yanam, the threat of the town being flooded during cyclones subsided. Consequently, one of the "cyclone shelters" at the place was converted into Seagull bar and restaurant by the Tourism Department of Pondicherry. The restaurant is now planning to acquire two cruise boards to take tourists for a ride in the adjoining Godavari River and nearby Bay of Bengal.

Yanam also boasts of providing breakfast, lunch, school dresses, books and cycles free of cost to school going children. From this year, free lunch was being provided even to junior college students. The Government pays an old age pension of Rs 200 per month to the poor. This apart, the legislator had mobilised funds from the public and established an old age home for senior citizens where all facilities were provided without any charge.

As Yanam developed, people started migrating to the town. The town's population had increased from 5,000 in 1968 to 38,000 at present.

In the last decade alone, the population went up by 54 per cent due to migration, Mr Rao said.

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This MLA drives home electoral promises