VIJAYAWADA: Governor S Abdul Nazeer on Wednesday greeted the people of Andhra Pradesh on the occasion of the State Formation Day. Exuding confidence, he said, that Andhra Pradesh is poised to make giant leaps in key development sectors in the very near future considering its tremendous growth potential.In his message to the people of the State, the Governor paid rich tributes to the leaders and freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives to realise the dream of crores of Telugus for a separate State.
The long-cherished dream of Telugu people for a separate State became a reality when the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru announced the formation of Andhra Pradesh on December 19, 1952, after Potti Sriramulu laid down his life for the cause.
Stating that Andhra Pradesh is well-known for its rich heritage, the Governor noted, “Over the centuries, the State’s culture and tradition is reflected in the festivals, literature, music, dance, drama, arts and crafts, and in the daily life of the people.”
Pointing out that ‘Telugu’, which is spoken by 96 million people all over the world, is designated as a classical language, he said, “The age-old classical works of Adikavi Nannayya, Yerrapragada, and Thikkana, popularly known as the ‘kavi traya’ (the triumvirate) for their translation of the Mahabharata, have enriched Telugu literature.”
Terming Andhra Pradesh a precious gem in the crown of Indian glory, Governor Nazeer remarked, “The State is also a sacred land of world-renowned temples with a history of rich cultural and traditional splendour dating back to thousands of years, providing a wonderful experience to tourists and pilgrims who visit the temples of Srisailam, Simhachalam, Ahobilam, Annavaram and Sri Kalahasti among others in large numbers every year.”
He noted that the State is the blessed land of Lord Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala, one of the most sacred religious sanctums of the Pancharama temples. Further elaborating on the State’s bountiful natural resources, the Governor said Andhra Pradesh is endowed with river basins of Godavari, Krishna and Pennar, an extensive canal system and conducive agro-climatic conditions, besides natural mines and minerals. The State is also a logistics hub on the eastern coast with the second-longest coastline of 974 kilometres, the Governor added.
Shedding light on the abundant scope for new business opportunities in the State, he explained, “Andhra Pradesh has six ports and as many airports, over 1,23,000 kms of road network and 2,600 kms of rail network, and an uninterrupted power supply. It is among the top five States in the Energy Efficiency Index 2021-22 published by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). It is home to several large-scale public sector units and major industries in manufacturing of steel, automobiles and auto components, electronics, food processing, biotechnology and life sciences, capital goods, mining, textiles and leather, and IT and IT-enabled services.”
Stating that food processing is one of the major thrust areas for the State, the Governor said AP’s agri and food processing exports for 2021-22 stood at Rs 44,539 crore, registering a growth rate of 5.95%.As per the Union Education Ministry’s Performance Grading Index, Andhra Pradesh has been placed under the ‘Ati Uttam’ category, the highest rank for States that provide better access to education with infrastructure, he mentioned.
Later in the day, cultural programmes were organised at the Raj Bhavan to celebrate the State Formation Day of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.