No Compromise In Tirumala Laddu Adulteration Case: Pawan Kalyan
: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday asserted that there will be no compromise in the ongoing investigations into irregularities in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), including adulteration of the sacred Tirumala laddu prasadam.
“The adulteration of prasadam is extremely regrettable and an insult to the faith of Hindu devotees,” the Deputy CM said at the Maata-Manthi program with Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department employees in Mangalagiri.
Pawan underlined that what happened in the Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was intrinsically linked to the religious sentiments of Hindus across the country. He said that cases of corruption in TTD during the previous YSRC regime were now coming to light one by one.
He pointed out that while the laddu prasadam adulteration and irregularities in the Parakamani case were already under the Supreme Court’s scrutiny, the fake silk garments incident had emerged as the third biggest scam in TTD.
Responding to the issues raised by Panchayat Raj and Rural Development employees, the deputy Chief Minister said that their happiness at being promoted should be reflected in improving the quality of services provided by the staff to the people.
Reminding that he is also the son of a civil servant, Pawan stated that he understands the difficulties and wishes of the workers very well.
Pawan alleged that during the previous YSRC government, postings and promotions were governed by a non-transparent “pay list”. On the other hand, the current coalition government has prioritized seniority and sincerity. He said more than 10,000 employees have been promoted in the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department in the last one and a half years; this is an unprecedented practice even when compared to undivided Andhra Pradesh.
The Deputy CM maintained that he insisted that promotions should be given strictly according to eligibility norms. “We did not even take into account the recommendations of ministers and MPs,” he said.
Pawan outlined major reforms, including making all 13,350 gram panchayats independent administrative units, appointing a special secretary for each panchayat and renaming the post as Village Development Officer. Villages with a population of more than 10,000 were identified as Rural Panchayats for urban level development.
Assuring the protection of employees’ rights and safety, the deputy Prime Minister warned of strict action in case female employees are harassed. He emphasized transparent, people-centered management.
