Puttaparthi district starts functioning from Sathya Sai Music College

Puttaparthi: The new district of Puttaparthi became operational from the Sathya Sai Music College premises on Monday during the auspicious time between 9.05 am and 9.45 am after the Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy simultaneously launched the new 13 districts by virtual mode. The Chief Minister declared the new district of Puttaparthi operational in the presence of the new district collector Basanth Kumar and new SP Rahul Dev Singh.

Puttaparthi was a minor panchayat wayback in 1926 with just 255 families living in Kammavaripalle, Karnatakanagepalle, Rayalavaripalle and Kovelaguttapalle. The tiny village shot into fame with Bhagawan setting up the Sathya Sai Central Trust and launching the Superspeciality hospital, drinking water scheme and the establishment of airport in 2006. The state government issued a GO recently declaring Puttaparthi as the new district headquarter, despite the Roads and Buildings Minister M Sankara Narayana vociferously campaigning for Penukonda for being the new district headquarter. Even the lastminute pleas of Hindupur and its MLA N Balakrishna to declare Hindupur as the new district went in vain. The new district has four revenue districts including Penukonda, Dharmavaram, Kadiri and Puttaparthi. Puttaparthi division includes Puttaparthi mandal, Kothacheruvu, Bukkapatnam, Nallamada, ODC and Gorantla. Kadiri division includes Kadiri, Thalupula, Tanakallu, Gandlapenta, NP Kunta, Nallacheruvu and Amadagooru mandals.

Dharmavaram division includes Tadimarri, Battalapalle, Ramagiri, Kanaganapalle, Chennekothapalle and Mudigubba mandals. Penukobda revenue division includes Gudibanda, Lepakshi, Hindupur, Madakasira, Roddam, Somandepalle, Agali, Rolla, Amarapuram, Chilamattur and Parigi mandals.