Poverty rate has drastically reduced in the state and it presently stands at 9.2 per cent, claimed chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
He said that around 21.9 per cent of the total population in the country were below the poverty line in the country and the poverty percentage was just 9.2 in Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking at the Independence Day celebrations held at Parade Grounds here on Thursday, the chief minister said as many as 1.56 crore people were brought above the poverty line by 2011-12 in the state. He said the state is progressing towards achieving 10 per cent growth rate.
The Gross State Domestic Production (GSDP) was Rs 2.25 lakh crore in 2004-05 and it tripled with Rs 7.46 lakh crore in 2012-13.
He said the per capita income has gone up to Rs 78,117 as compared to Rs 25,231 in 2004-05. Kiran Reddy announced that the third round of Rachabanda programme would be taken up soon to benefit 27 lakh families. He said 30 lakh ration cards, 10 lakh houses and eight lakh pensions were sanctioned in the first and second phases of Rachabanda.
Allaying apprehensions with regard to the investments in the state, he said Andhra Pradesh stood in second place as far as flow of investments was concerned. During 2012-13, investments to the tune of Rs 43,000 crore came into the state resulting in employment creation of 1.65 lakh, he said.
The state government signed an MoU with Isuzu for Rs 1,500 crore investment and Rs 300 crore Mahindra factory was launched. The state government has also reached an agreement with Japan’s Sumitomo to set up an Integrated Industrial Utility Centre, the chief minister said. The culture department tableau won the best prize in the Independence day parade. Kiran Reddy presented the award to Culture Department director Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad. The forest and horticulture tableaus won second and third prizes respectively. Kiran Reddy listed out various achievements of his government.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: Nearly Rs 16,500 crore loans were given to women self help groups this year. Abhayahastam will be extended to an additional 9 lakh. Around 50,000 girl children born after May 1 were enrolled under Bangaru Talli, he said.
FARMER-FRIENDLY: ‘’We are expecting good crop this year due to heavy rains. The target for agricultural loans is Rs 72,000 crore out of which Rs 59,000 crore is for crop loans alone, Kiran Reddy said.
IRRIGATION: Pulichintala, Yellampalli, Bhima, Nettemapdu, Koilsagar, Kalwakurthy and Kantalapalli irrigation projects will be started very soon.
POWER SECTOR: ‘’We can give power without any problem this year as there are good rains. We have been seeking the Centre for coal and gas for additional power generation,’’ he said.
HYDERABAD: The third phase of Krishna water diversion scheme taken up at a cost of Rs 1,670 crore is nearing completion. Diversion of Godavari water to Hyderabad will be completed by the end of this year. The Metro Rail works are going on at a brisk pace. The 158-km Outer Ring Road will also be completed soon.
JOBS: The government has created 84,000 additional jobs in the government sector this year. Around 2.12 lakh jobs are notified in the last two years and 1.34 lakh jobs are filled so far.
LAW AND ORDER: The government is committed to maintain law and order in the state as several industrialists from other states are keen to invest in the state, the chief minister said.
