VIZIANAGARAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday made it clear that there will be no more increase in power tariffs during the coalition government. If possible, the State government will work only towards reducing the existing tariffs, he clarified and said the power sector has been brought back on track through efficient management. The previous government, he noted, had imposed a burden of Rs 32,000 crore on power consumers by increasing tariffs nine times. For the first time in the country’s history, power charges will be reduced by 13 paise per unit starting November 13.
He said the NDA government is providing free solar rooftops to farmers under the PM Kusum scheme, as well as to SC and ST households. Additionally, the highest subsidy of Rs 98,000 is being extended to BC households.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to development and welfare, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh is the only State in the country providing the highest social security pensions — nearly Rs 33,000 crore every year — benefitting 63.57 lakh people. “We have been celebrating the pensions festival on the first day of every month and have disbursed Rs 48,019 crore under the NTR Bharosa scheme in the past 16 months. Beneficiaries who missed collecting pensions earlier are now allowed to draw up to three months’ pension at a time,” he explained.
During his visit to Datti village in Dattirajeru mandal, Naidu handed over social security pensions to several beneficiaries. He personally visited the house of Ponturu Appalaraju, who is suffering from a kidney ailment, and handed over a medical pension to him and a widow pension to his mother. He also interacted with the family to seek feedback on the government’s Super Six welfare schemes, before meeting villagers at a Praja Vedika programme.
Recalling that TDP founder and former chief minister NT Rama Rao had first introduced pensions of Rs 30, Naidu said, “After I took oath as Chief Minister, I increased it to Rs 75, then to Rs 1,000 in 2012, and to Rs 4,000 in 2024 as promised before the elections.” He added that 10,578 new widow pensions were sanctioned this month, while Rs 108 crore was released to 1,34,023 people who had missed pensions for two months.
On the occasion, he also felicitated two Margadarsulu who adopted two Bangaru Kutumbalu under the government’s flagship P4 scheme. District in-charge minister Vangalapudi Anitha, ministers Kondapalli Srinivas and Gummadi Sandhyarani, MLAs, MLCs, district collector S. Ramsundhar Reddy, SP Damodar and other officials took part in Naidu’s maiden visit to Gajapathinagaram Assembly segment after assuming power.
Addressing the gathering, Naidu said the TDP-led NDA ‘double engine’ government is fully committed to the State’s growth and people’s welfare. “We are spending Rs 2,000 crore on the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project over the next two years. The Bhogapuram International Airport, which was delayed by the previous government, is now progressing at brisk pace and the first flight will land by June 2026,” he said.
Highlighting women’s welfare initiatives under ‘Super Six’, the CM said Rs 10,090 crore had been credited into 63.77 lakh mothers’ bank accounts under ‘Thalliki Vandanam’. Under ‘Deepam 2.0’, three gas cylinders each were supplied to one crore households at a cost of Rs 1,718 crore, while Rs 2,963 crore is being spent annually under the Stree Shakti scheme. “Since August 15, at least 10 crore free journeys have been availed by women under Stree Shakti,” he noted and announced that the government will launch Auto Drivers Sevalo on October 4, providing Rs 15,000 aid to each driver’s family affected by Stree Shakti.