Top storyThe land resurvey process has been completed in Pedda Nagulavaram village of Markapuram mandal as part of the land resurvey programme taken up by the Andhra Pradesh government. On the occasion, Tahsildar K. Chiranjeevi distributed new pattadar passbooks to the farmers concerned. Officials said the resurvey would ensure land details are recorded more transparently and accurately. Village Revenue Officer Mahalakshmi and village surveyor Ravindra took part in the programme.
The CPM announced a rally and public meeting in Markapuram on the 7th of this month on district development issues. A pamphlet for the meeting was released at the party office in Giddalur. CPM leader T Avulayya said no funds had been allocated for development 10 months after the district was formed and that full-fledged officers had not been posted to all departments. He sought Rs 10,000 crore for the district, small and medium industries, a leather factory in Giddalur and Veligonda phase-two works. B Narsimhulu, D Thomas and D Srinivasulu attended.
Markapuram district SP Pankaj Kumar Meena, IPS, directed police officers to work with advance planning to conduct the coming elections peacefully and transparently. He reviewed election security measures at the district police headquarters on Sunday. He asked officers to identify villages and polling stations where clashes occurred in past elections and place them under special surveillance, and to keep rowdy-sheeters and offenders under watch within the law. Patrolling in sensitive areas must be stepped up. DSPs Nimmagadda Satyanarayana and Sridhar, CIs and SIs attended.
YSR Congress Party Kanigiri constituency incharge Dr Daddala Narayana Yadav was felicitated at the district party office in Ongole on completing his term as ZPTC of Hanumanthunipadu mandal in Kanigiri constituency. Rajya Sabha member and former TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, regional co-ordinator Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Prakasam district party president and Darsi MLA Dr Buchepalli Siva Prasad Reddy and Ongole parliament incharge Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy presented him a shawl, garland and shield. Leaders praised his efforts to resolve public problems.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced on X that the Veligonda project, a three-decade aspiration of people in western undivided Prakasam district, will be inaugurated on August 31. At the Markapuram event, 10.7 TMC of Krishna water will be released into Nallamala Sagar. He recalled laying the foundation stone on March 5, 1996 as united Andhra Pradesh CM. Phase-1 will irrigate 1.19 lakh acres and Phase-2 another 3.28 lakh acres, he said, promising a permanent solution to fluoride problems in western Prakasam.
A job mela will be held on March 14 at the District Employment Office in Ongole under the district employment generation office, District Employment Officer T Bharadwaja said. Vacancies in Axis Bank and Quartz Craft companies will be filled in the Business Development Executive and Machine Operator categories. Candidates aged 18 to 28 who have completed Intermediate, ITI, Diploma, Degree or B.Tech may attend. Applicants must bring Aadhaar card and photocopies of certificates. Details on 08592281776.
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) will set up an integrated weapon systems and propellant manufacturing unit at Donakonda in Prakasam district with an investment of Rs 1,200 crore — Rs 650 crore in the first phase and Rs 550 crore in the second. It will create 600 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs, with a township on 200 acres proposed for 600 families. The project needs 1,400 acres; the government will allot 317 acres at Rs 7.73 lakh per acre. Per the DPR, production begins by September 2028.
Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary was marked at Podili in Markapuram district by the Manavata voluntary service organisation. Committee members garlanded the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Potti Sriramulu near Sri Vasavi Ammavari Shala at the old panchayat office and paid tributes. Bread and fruit were later distributed to patients at the local government hospital. District president Muvvala Parthasarathi said people enjoy the fruits of freedom due to Gandhi's sacrifices. Chairman Katuri Narayana Babu urged the present generation to remember such leaders' service.
Police arrested three men in the murder of Moddu Venkateswarlu, husband of YSRCP sarpanch Nagalakshmi, in Dornala mandal of Prakasam district. He was stabbed to death near the Korraprolu graves on the night of the 9th of this month. DIG CM Trivikrama Varma and SP Malika Garg said a helmet and slippers left at the scene led to the accused. Police cited a dispute from last year's sarpanch election. A motorcycle and a cellphone were seized.
Police rescued six people stranded in floodwaters at the Gundlakamma drinking water scheme in Addanki, Prakasam district. Three employees were stranded first, and three who went by boat to help were also stranded when the boat capsized. All climbed a tree and were located by drone. Relief work was intensified on Minister Gottipati's orders. Collector Rajababu and MLA B.N. Vijay Kumar inspected the reservoir, where 11 gates were opened to release floodwater downstream.
Police in Bestavaripeta, Prakasam district, arrested a man who cheated a State Bank of India service point owner of Rs 50,000 by posing as the local sub-inspector. The caller said he urgently needed money for his daughter's college fee and sent a QR code on WhatsApp. When the phone went switched off, the victim complained. SI Madhava Rao formed two teams and caught Rajendra Naik of Palnadu district. CI Rajesh Kumar said four other cases are pending against him.
Two people were killed on the spot and three were seriously injured when a car rammed a stationary lorry from behind on the national highway at Singarayakonda. Police said five people were travelling in the car; two women seated at the rear and one man were injured and shifted to Ongole RIMS in a 108 ambulance. The deceased were identified as residents of Tirupati in Chittoor district, travelling from Tirupati to Vijayawada. Police removed the trapped bodies with difficulty and are investigating.
Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh will undertake an extensive tour of Prakasam district on Friday. He will lay the foundation stone for a five-star Radisson Hotel at Chadalavada in Nagulappalapadu mandal, and unveil statues of 20 eminent persons from various fields. A drinking water project built under the centre-state AMRUT 2.0 scheme will be dedicated to the public. He will later meet TDP leaders and workers in Ongole. The hotel is expected to create jobs for local youth.
