The Hindu Business Line : AP govt effort on agri, industries helped revive economy: CM

HYDEABAD: Asserting that Andhra Pradesh was the fastest growing state in the country, the Chief Minister, Mr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy on Friday said his government's sustained focus on agriculture, rural economy, social welfare and industrial development had helped revive the economy which was pushed into a crisis during the previous TDP regime.

“With the help of multi-pronged strategy, we could bring the crisis-ridden agriculture sector back on tracks, infused a sense of urgency into irrigation projects and gave a boost to industrial development and employment generation,'' Mr Reddy said while addressing a gathering after reviewing the Independence Day parade here.

As a result of the Congress government's emphasis on good governance, foresight and fiscal discipline, Andhra Pradesh has achieved 10.6 percent growth rate and emerged as a role model for the rest of the country, he said.

Outlining the welfare and development initiative undertaken during the last four years, he said his government was determined to carry forward the ambitious 'Jalayagnam' (Irrigation Mission) programme despite “political hurdles'' being created by the opp osition.

Under the programme, which is aimed at providing irrigation facility to an additional one crore acres in the state, over 15 lakh acres have been brought under irrigation so far and another 15 lakh acres would be covered by March next year, he said.

In a bid to provide food security to the poor, the government had started supplying rice, red gram and palmolein oil at subsidised rate to the poor households through fair price shops, Mr Reddy said.

While focusing its attention on agriculture, irrigation, welfare and rural development sectors, the government had simultaneously made efforts to promote industrial development and employment generation in urban areas, Mr Reddy said.

“As a result of our aggressive IT policy, the software exports from the state have increased from Rs 5,000 crores in 2004-05 to Rs 26,000 crores in 2007-08 and our share in the total domestic exports rose from nine per cent to 14 per cent,'' he said addi ng that his government was focusing on spreading the IT industry to tier-II cities.

Taking a dig at his predecessor and TDP chief, Mr N Chandrababu Naidu, he said the economy was pushed into bankruptcy while core sectors like agriculture and irrigation were neglected during the previous regime.

“Our strategies to revive agriculture have yielded desired results as food grain production has increased from 135 lakh tones in 2003-04 to 197 lakh tones last year and crop loans for farmers gone up from Rs 8,000 crores to Rs 26,000 crores,'' Mr Reddy s aid.

The loan waiver scheme, announced by the Centre, would benefit 65 lakh farmers, to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore, he said adding that Andhra Pradesh stood first in the country in implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. - PTI

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