Venkaiah Naidu calls for preservation of Ongole cattle breed

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Former Vice-President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu and Odisha Governor Kambhampati Haribabu felicitate persons who rendered distinguished services to Ongole at the ‘Ongole Utsavam’ in the Mini Stadium on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: KOMMURI SRINIVAS

Former Vice-President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu called for preserving the unique qualities and spirited nature of the world-renowned Ongole cattle breed. He participated as the chief guest in ‘Ongole Utsavam’ — an event held at Mini Stadium to mark the 150th anniversary of Ongole Municipality.

As part of the celebrations, several Ministers, public representatives, officials and prominent citizens of the district participated in the Ongole cattle breed procession held on Trunk Road on Wednesday. The former Vice-President reminded that the public of their responsibility to conserve these cattle, as many foreign countries were taking these indigenous cattle to develop new breeds.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu recalled the deep, intimate bond he shared with Ongole. He remembered that during his tenure as the Union Minister for Rural and Urban Development, he had insisted on providing pucca roads to every village and had played a key role in the launch of ‘Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana’ under former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Mr. Venkaiah Naidu said that he worked with a conviction that a nation prospers only when its villages thrive. He called upon the public to adopt cleanliness and hygiene as a way of life, and urged them to refrain from encroaching upon tanks, canals, and roads.

He noted that his political journey began in 1977 from Ongole parliamentary constituency and recalled how the people here embraced him as a young man from an ordinary farming family who had fought against the Emergency and held him close to their hearts. He recounted how people voluntarily rallied behind him and supported him by contributing funds during elections in his earlier days.

Speaking on the occasion, Social Welfare Minister Dola Sree Veeranjaneya Swamy said that celebrating the 150th anniversary was a significant milestone. He congratulated Governor Kambhampati Hari Babu, a native of Ongole attending the event in his official capacity, and praised MLA Damacharla Janardhana Rao for showcasing Ongole’s distinction to the world.

He also highlighted the remarkable initiative of organising 150 medical camps in a single day as part of the anniversary celebrations. He said that Ongole was flourishing in the field of education and described the ‘Ongole Bull’ as a symbol of strength and vitality. He expressed hope that Ongole would continue to surge ahead in the future.

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