Harish applauds I-T officials for developing village

SANGAREDDY: Finance Minister T Harish Rao visited Gongulur village of Andole Assembly constituency and inaugurated Gandhi Seva Kendra constructed by Income Tax (I-T) officials on Sunday. The facility was built at a cost of `12 lakh to carry out development programmes in the village. On learning about activities being carried out by I-T officials in the village for the last two years, Harish congratulated the officials. 

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister, “We think I-T officials are the ones who impose taxes. But they have proved that they not only collect taxes, but also spend their own money for the people”. He said I-T executives had been working hard for the development of Gongulur and developing the village with their own salaries. He said Pedda Cheruvu in the village was being converted into mini tank bund. The cooperation of the villagers is essential for the development of any village, he said. 

Rao appreciated the collaboration between women’s associations and I-T officials for making pulses. The Minister assured the women’s associations that he would do his part to ensure that good quality of pulses are sold under the name of Manjira Pulses. Earlier, Rao and District Collector M Hanumanth Rao honoured the I-T officials concerned at the Collectorate in Sangareddy. 

The initiative by I-T officials was begun by Sudhakar Nayak, whose in-laws stay in Gongulur. Nayak would often visit the village and noticed the problems in the area. He came up with the idea to take up development activities and discussed it with his colleagues. They then set up an organisation, Gandhi Gram Seva. So far, the group has constructed CC roads, held sanitation drives, raised awareness on segregation of waste, carried out plantation drives and been a part of many other initiatives.