National

New Shine On The Tarmac

Srikakulam: K. Yerrannaidu

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New Shine On The Tarmac
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The MP’s focus has been on specific development projects—like the Rs 33-crore Uddhanam Project drinking water scheme—that have benefited many. He has also focused on village street lighting, laying of tarred roads to about 200 villages and construction of bus stops in most of the constituency’s villages. Yerrannaidu launched a modernisation drive of 17 railway stations, and tried getting stops scheduled for major trains at the Srikakulam Road station.

Yet all this might not be enough. Critics say he ought to have concentrated on employment generation and Srikakulam’s industrialisation. "There is a lot of scope for industrialisation in the constituency, but no effort has been made towards this," says Prof Tulsi Rao, an economist at the Ambedkar University, Srikakulam. This, he says, has led to a continuous migration of people from the district, resulting in it having one of the lowest population growth rates in the country.

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Moreover, Yerrannaidu’s popularity has also taken a hit from the charisma of megastar Chiranjeevi, the PRP chief. The latter’s presence has prompted young men from the fishermen community to extend their support to the actor. "Every year we had been voting the TDP or the Congress, but this election we had decided to support Chiranjeevi’s PRP," said Chetaiah, a local.

Responding to the criticism, Yerrannaidu says he is trying his best. He told Outlook over the phone that he has been trying to woo industrialists, but without success. "We are now eyeing the NRIs," he adds.

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