The parents of a physically and mentally challenged girl appealed to the State government to enhance the financial assistance being paid to them, during a Spandana grievance hearing organised by NTR District Collector S. Dilli Rao in Vijayawada on Monday.
Ch. Mallikarjuna Rao, an agriculture worker, and his wife, came all the way from A. Konduru carrying their 16-year-old daughter Ch. Lakshmi Prasanna who has been suffering from a congenital disease that has severely stunted her mental and physical growth.
In their appeal to the Collector, the couple asked the State government to increase the current financial aid of ₹3,000 to ₹10,000. “With two other girl children, we are unable to make ends meet.. It has become difficult to take care of Lakshmi and we have sought the government’s support. Officials told us that they would try to help,” Mr. Rao said.
A total of 102 grievances were submitted at the Spandana programme. Medara Sangham State president K. Narasimha Rao, in his grievance, asked the State government to grant rights on bamboo produce to the Medara community and provide training to the youth of the community.
Collector S. Dilli Rao asked officials to ensure that the grievances are addressed as per the service-level agreement.
Only 14 grievances were received at the Spandana programme held by Vijayawada Municipal Commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundakar and Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi.