VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh registered an economic growth of 8.16 per cent in 2019-20 fiscal, which is above the national average of 5 per cent during the same period, said Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan during his address to the joint session of the Legislative Assembly and Council on the first day of the budget session on Tuesday.
Stating that the session, which is normally conducted in March, is being held now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor said the state’s economy has shown tremendous resilience amid the global slowdown. “Our service sector has registered the highest growth rate of 9.1 per cent followed by agriculture and allied sectors 8 per cent and industry 5 per cent. Our per capita income, measured at current prices, has increased by more than 12 per cent from Rs 1,51,173 in 2018-19 to Rs 1,69,519 in 2019-20,” the Governor said.
Asserting that the government is committed to enhancing citizen and enterprise prosperity and productivity through equitable and inclusive economic development, the Governor said it intends to strengthen strategic resources such as water and minerals, rural and urban infrastructure, strategic infrastructure in the power and transport sectors and industry sector.
In his nearly 40-minute speech, Harichandan underlined the priorities of the state government sector-wise and said the focus was on welfare and administrative reforms. “We turned a new leaf in ushering in unprecedented reforms and rolling the welfare carpet to the doorstep of the deprived sections by empowering them economically, politically and socially.
We have put in place an impeccable delivery mechanism of welfare schemes in the form of village and ward secretariats and I am proud to say we have fulfilled 90 per cent of our promises made in the manifesto in the first year itself,” he said. Stating education, healthcare, agriculture and welfare were given prominence, the Governor said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been very meticulous in the planning of every scheme to the last detail, which has helped in the financial assistance going directly into the bank account of the beneficiaries without any pilferage or middlemen.
The Governor explained that the government has spent Rs 42,000 crore for various schemes in the last one year, benefiting 3.98 crore people. He elaborated on the government’s various welfare and development measures, reforms in education, health, village administration, energy, industries and infrastructure, the merger of APSRTC with the government and how the State is dealing with COVID crisis. He said decentralisation of administration has been the key principle, based on which the legislation is in the process to have three capitals — Amaravati legislative capital, Visakhapatnam executive capital and Kurnool judicial capital.
TDP boycotts Governor’s address
The Opposition TDP boycotted the Governor’s address to the joint session of Assembly and Council in protest against the “undemocratic and autocratic” regime of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. They came out of the house holding placards and raising slogans. TDLP Deputy Leader Nimmala Ramanaidu slammed the government for trying to avoid comprehensive debates in the Assembly on people’s problems by limiting it to a 2-day session. Earlier in the day, TDP supremo and Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu along with MLAs and MLCs paid tributes at the NTR statue at Venkatapuram, before going to the Assembly. The TDP chief and his party MLAs and MLCs attended the budget session wearing black dresses to register their protest against “false cases” being filed against their leaders. Earlier, TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh led a padayatra to the Assembly premises.
One-year progress report 12 per cent
Increase in per capita income; from Rs 1,51,173 in 2018-19 to Rs 1,69,519 in 2019-20,
Rs 42,000 crore spent by govt, benefiting 3.98 crore under various schemes in the last one year
Govt has put in place a delivery mechanism of welfare schemes in the form of village and ward secretariatsGovt’s focus is on welfare and administrative reforms Legislation is in the process to have three capitals — Amaravati legislative capital, Visakhapatnam executive capital and Kurnool judicial capital