VIJAYAWADA: While asserting that the State government was committed to the welfare and development of the farmers, Andhra Pradesh State Agriculture Mission (APSAM) vice chairman MVS Nagi Reddy said that it is the legacy of former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy that is being continued by his son YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who gives top priority to agriculture and allied sectors.
Greeting the farmers on the occasion of Rythu Dinotsavam (Farmers’ Day), marking the birth anniversary of YS Rajasekhara Reddy, APSAM vice chief said YSR’s every scheme be it giving free power or introducing Jala Yagnam projects—is aimed to help farmers to improve their livelihood.
“Agriculture also contributes to achieving inclusive growth as its impact spreads over to other sectors of the economy such as manufacturing and trade and transport sectors. YSR implemented key components like agricultural loan waiver, free electricity, input subsidies to the crisis-ridden farmers and the construction of major irrigation projects for the welfare of the farming community,” he explained.
Quoting data from Economic Freedom Index, MVS Nagi Reddy said that under the YSR administration, Andhra Pradesh was the fastest-liberalising State and elevated to the third position from the seventh position.
This co-existed with YSR’s populist handouts yet doubled GDP growth. The State’s average GDP growth shot up to 9.07 per cent in YSR’s government (2004-09) as against 5.59 per cent during earlier government (1994-1999), with a reduced fiscal deficit to 2.68 per cent of GDP by 2008, well below the prescribed 3 per cent ceiling for State governments under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management norms, he added.
Further elaborating on the data, Nagireddy said that during YSR’s era, the poverty level was reduced to 16 per cent in the State against the national average of 23 per cent. The share of agriculture in GDP is 30 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, almost double the national level of 17 per cent. YSR focused on rural infrastructure and irrigation. This paid rich dividends.
“Now, Jagan has improvised the projects introduced during the YSR regime, to suit the present needs. Free power to farmers is being continued effectively and AP State Misson for Agriculture has been constituted to provide valuable inputs to agriculture and allied sectors.
Completion of 40 Jala Yagnam projects (23 major, 7 medium, 4 flood banks, 6 modernisation) will create new irrigation potential in 27.62 lakh acres of land in AP, besides stabilization of the irrigation projects which have been already started in 5.03 lakh acres of land,” explained Dr M Chandrasekhar Reddy, principal scientist of APSAM.