Rajahmundry: Andhra Pradesh government has released Rs 13 crore for organising the 'Sankranti Sambarulu' in the state, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said on Friday.

The state's culture department has released Rs one crore for each of the 13 districts in the state to organise the Sankranti festival, he told reporters here after a review meeting with incharge Collector R Mutyala Raju and other senior officials on the arrangements made for the event.

Competitions would be organised at gram panchayat level, focusing on rural sports like kabaddi and volleyball, and special competitions for women on cooking food items would also be held at mandal level from January 13.

He also reviewed the arrangements for distribution of food items to the poor in the name of 'Chandranna Sankranthi Kanuka' through fair price shops in the district and instructed for the process to be completed by January 12 so that the people could celebrate the festival. He also reviewed the arrangements being made for the upcoming 'Kakinada beach festival'.