Vijayawada, Mar 8 : Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday paid glorious tributes to late Industries and Commerce Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy who died on February 21 last month. The house decided to name Sangam Barrage after him and observed two minutes silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul. Moving the condolence motion, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said, ‘This House places on record its deep sense of sorrow at the untimely demise of former Industries IT and Commerce Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy and convey its deep sense of sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.’ He said the death of Mekapati Goutham Reddy is a huge loss not only to himself but also to the YSR Congress Party. Reddy said the late Minister was his friend from childhood and though one year older, he used to consider the Chief Minister as a big brother and worked as per the latter’s interests. He said “Goutham had good education, in fact, studied in the ted Kingdom and though he was not in politics, when I came out of Congress party due to a matter of principle, he was one of few people who supported me along with his father Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy”. The Chief Minister said Goutham Reddy had won as MLA for two times and successfully handled six departments in the Cabinet which include, Industries, Infrastructure and Investment, IT and Electronics, Handlooms and Textiles, Sugar Industries and Skill Development and added that he attended the Dubai Expo last month and used to send daily updates of the meetings held in Dubai regarding investments. Reddy remembered the efforts of Goutham Reddy in making industries like Century Plywood, Sri Cements, Sun Pharma, Aditya Birla Group, Adani group come to the state. He said the government, after the request of Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, would take over Rajamohan Reddy Institute of Technology and Science in Udayagiri and name it after Mekapati Goutham Reddy and introduce Agriculture and Horticulture courses. Reddy said the works of Veligonda project in Udayagiri region will be brought under Phase -1 from Phase -2 and complete the works soon and Udayagiri Degree college also will be revamped under Nadu Nedu Phase 2. The Chief Minister announced “The works of Sangam Barrage will be completed in six months and it will be named as ‘Mekapati Goutham Sangam Barrage’”. He said he along with every member of YSRCP would support the family of Goutham Reddy. Water Resources Minister Anil Kumar Yadav expressed his anguish over the untimely demise of his colleague and said Goutham used to share every issue with him. He said the late Minister used to be happy, smiling always and God takes the good ones early. Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said the death of Goutham is a huge loss to the party and remembered that the latter used to be friendly with everyone as Chittoor district incharge Minister. After the condolence motion, the house was adjourned till Thursday by Speaker T Sitaram. DP CS1325