Hyderabad: Endowment Minister A Indrakaran Reddy today said the popular tribal festival of Sammakka-Sarakka in Medaram will be conducted on a grand scale. The State government will appeal to the Centre to recognize the Medaram festival as national festival and provide funds to conduct the festivities on a grand note.
The Endowment Minister held a review meeting at Secretariat with Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Welfare Minister Koppula Eshwar and officials. The Medaram festival will be held from February 5 to 8 in 2020. The ministers asked the officials in advance to see that the tribal festival is conducted on a grand scale. Indarakaran said some 1.5 crore people, most of whom tribals, will attend the festival. The officials of all the departments concerned have to coordinate in providing all facilities to the devotees coming from various States and districts, he said.
Indrakaran Reddy also asked the officials to prepare a plan of action with Rs 10 crore for land pooling and for making better facilities at the biennial fair site. “Next month, we will meet again and submit a report and plan for the tribal festival”, he said. The festival reflects the age-old culture and traditions of forest and Tribals in the State, Indrakaran said.
Facilities, traffic regulation, smooth movement of devotees, barricading, bathing ghats, water and power supply and sanitation are key for the grand conduct of Medaram festival, the minister said. He also said Medaram pujaris should see that the aspirations of tribals are protected during four-day long festivities. The festival will commence on February 5 and concludes on February 8, he added. (NSS)
