Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy, who will be completing three years in office as chief minister on November 25, can boast of introducing several new developmental and welfare programmes in the state in addition to those introduced by his predecessors.
Indiramma Bata is one of his programmes meant to monitor and improve the welfare programmes being implemented.
It has been implemented in Srikakulam, Khammam, West Godavari, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Krishna, Prakasam, Medak, Ranga Reddy, Visakhapatnam and Nellore districts till date.
Two editions of Rachabanda programme have been conducted in the state to address issues relating to ration cards, pensions, abhaya hasatam, Arogyasri, housing, NREGS, interest free loans, IKP in urban and rural reas.
Housing has been given due priority and 13.65 lakh houses have been sanctioned with an estimated outlay of Rs 10,420 crore. In last 9 years, 63.89 lakh houses has been constructed at the cost of Rs 20,630 crore.
Pensions worth Rs 10, 554 crore have been given to 73.19 lakh beneficiaries. As many as 1.89 crore job-seekers were provided with job cards under NREGs. The Kiran Kumar Reddy government, which has farmers’ interest as top priority, increased the input subsidy from Rs 6,000 per hectare to Rs 10,000 to help the farmers devastated by Neelam, Phailin and Helen cyclones.
AGRI PLAN: Further, a special agriculture plan on lines of annual budget was introduced for 2013-14. On the irrigation front, his government spent Rs 11,050 crore in the current fiscal on irrigation projects. Since 2004, 16 projects have been completed fully and 23 projects partially to irrigate an additional area of 21. 43 lakh acres. An agreement has been signed with Maharashtra for construction of Pranahita-Chevella project.
On free power to 32 lakh agricultural connections, Rs 30,956 crore has been spent. As many as 2.25 crore white ration card holders are benefiting to the tune of Rs 2,600 crore under the Rs 1 kg rice programe. To protect tenant farmers, the Kiran government has brought in AP Licensed Cultivators Act. To benefit SC and ST landholders, Indira Jala Prabha was introduced. Most importantly, to ensure funds meant for the development and welfare of SCs and STs are spent for their own purpose, SC, ST sub-plan Act was brought in and Rs 12,251 crore will be spent in 2013-14. Under Rajiv Vidya Deevena, 175 crore were spent benefit 5.25 lakh SC, ST students. Mess charges of SC, ST, BC welfare hostel students were increased. Fee reimbursement arrears were cleared and more budgetary allocations were made for education.
Stree Nidhi
Stree Nidhi was introduced for women’s empowerment apart from interest-free loans under Indira Kranti Patham (IKP). Indiramma Armuta Hastam was introduced, benefiting 3.44 lakh pregnant women and new mothers. To ensure secure future for girl child, Bangaru Thalli programe was introduced and Rs 12.85 crore has been spent so far. Amma Hastam was introduced to tackle the increasing prices of essential commodities and under the programme 2.25 crore white ration card holder were proviced essential commodities at subsidies price. Indiramma Pachathoranam was introduced to increase greener, Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu was introduced to deal with unemployment and make the unemployed youth employable. For the first time 25,000 government posts were filled. Metro rail in Hyderabad is fast nearing completion and so does the 158-km-long outer ring road. Krishna and Godavari waters are being brought to Hyderabad under different schemes. Rs 6.48 lakh crore worth industrial investments have been attracted to the state and after a gap of 37 years, World Telugu Mahasabhas were held and the global 11th COP meeting on bio-diversity. Mee Seva is another important programme introduced by the Kiran regime to benefit the public at large.