Sammakka Temple To Be Developed With Rs 251 Crore

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy today announced that the State government planned to allocate Rs 251 crore for the enhancement of the Sammakka Saralamma temple in Medaram, Mulugu district, which was expected to attract a large number of devotees during the Maha Jathara, Asia's largest tribal fair, scheduled for January 2026..

Reddy, accompanied by Panchayat Raj Minister Seethakka, reviewed the ongoing development projects at the temple and assessed the progress made so far.

Speaking to the media later, Ponguleti said that said that the government was committed to developing the temple into a landmark. He said that during Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's recent visit Rs 101 crore had been approved for the temple, and that tenders had been issued for Rs 71 crore of that amount.

He also said that the funds allocated for the Medaram fair would be effectively utilised in the Jampanna stream, and that improvements would be made to the areas surrounding both tribal and non-tribal deities.

He said that as part of the plan, infrastructure upgrades, including roads and other constructions, would be carried out. Instructions had been issued to the Collector and SP to ensure that these projects were executed in an organised manner without interruptions over the next 50 days, he added.

He also said that over one crore people had attended the fair in the previous year and expressed confidence that, thanks to the government's development efforts, this year's attendance could double.

Responding to questions from reporters about allegations that his company was awarded Rs 71 crore worth of contracts for the Maha Jathara works, the minister said, "I am well aware of my reputation, and I do not need to be concerned about the allegations. I trust that my fellow ministers have not raised any complaints against me, and I see no possibility of anyone escalating issues to a higher authority. Our development efforts align with the vision of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, and I plan to participate in these initiatives alongside Seethakka and Surekha, much like in the Sammakka Saralamma celebrations."

The allegations became public after Minister Konda Surekha reportedly expressed her anger that Ponguleti, the district in-charge for Warangal, had sanctioned Rs 71 crore worth of works for the Medaram Jathara without informing her. Surekha's husband, former MLC Konda Murali, reportedly filed a complaint with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) alleging that Ponguleti was interfering in the affairs of the Endowments Department (headed by Surekha) and that a company with which he was associated was awarded contracts.

Ponguleti denied the allegations, saying that he did not need those contracts and that he was simply following the instructions of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The Congress high command has reportedly however taken serious note of the issue.

The incident has exposed internal factionalism within the Telangana Congress cabinet, causing embarrassment to the leadership.