Amaravati, Mar 30 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan on Tuesday felicitated Vijayawada-based junk artist Padakandla Srinivas, who recently won the appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi mentioned Srinivas in his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme.

Srinivas is a Vijayawada-based sculptor and junk artist working in the College of Architecture and Planning in Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU).

"Srinivas briefed the Governor on how he designs sculptures of animals and other art forms using scrap material consisting mostly of automobile metal scrap in an economic and eco-friendly manner," said a Raj Bhavan official.

Srinivas told Harichandan that his sculptures were erected in Madurai, Chennai, Kurnool and Guntur.

The Governor complimented him for attracting the attention of Modi and invited him to install a suitable sculpture in the Raj Bhavan premises.

Meanwhile, Harichandan released a catalogue brought out by the AP photography akademi to commemorate the centenary of India's national flag designed by Pingali Venkaiah at the Raj Bhavan.

Likewise, the Governor also released the first official magazine, Sagarika, brought out by the regional passport office (RPO), Visakhapatnam in Hindi.

Regional passport officer D. S. S. Srinivasa Rao informed Harichandan about the activities of passport offices at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati, including the passport services offered through major post offices in each Lok Sabha constituencies of the state.

"Srinivas informed the Governor that the passport application is processed and a passport is issued by them within four days subject to police verification and they receive about 3,000 passport applications every day," added Mukesh Kumar Meena, secretary to Governor.