Markapuram district held its first Gram Sabha at Tippayapalem village on January 5, 2026. The event was part of the “Swachh Sankranti – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission” programme. Prakasam District Collector P. Rajababu and MLA Kandula Narayana Reddy attended along with officials. Villagers greeted them with drums and flower showers. Collector Rajababu urged people to keep their surroundings clean, saying, "People get respect and recognition only through cleanliness of their surroundings." He said this Sabha aims to raise awareness about cleanliness and village development under the G RAM G Act. Monthly programmes with special cleanliness themes will be held. The government is pushing large-scale ‘Swachh Sankranti’ activities to improve hygiene and local areas, and it needs public support. MLA Kandula Narayana Reddy highlighted recent progress: "In the last one-and-a-half-year, 119-km of cement roads have been constructed in the constituency. The government hospital has been upgraded to a district level hospital. The State government has given priority to waste management, sanitation and road construction." He added that efforts are underway to grow horticulture, create jobs, and attract new industries using the district’s land. He also requested the Collector to quickly pay contractors who supplied fresh water tankers, showing the focus on urgent local needs.