VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu emphasised the importance of tribal communities’ progress in all spheres for the State’s development.
Speaking at the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples celebrations at Vanjangi village in Paderu mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district, he stressed the need to create greater awareness among tribals to ensure sustainable growth.
Naidu announced several welfare and development initiatives for tribal areas, including the provision of 200 units of free electricity to 4.82 lakh households and the upcoming launch of free solar rooftop panel installation. He noted that 3.77 lakh tribal people are receiving pensions under the NTR Bharosa scheme, with an annual expenditure of Rs 1,595 crore.
The Chief Minister highlighted the government’s efforts in education, stating that Rs 642 crore has been deposited into the accounts of mothers of 4.86 lakh tribal students under the Talliki Vandhanam scheme. Additionally, Rs 1,337 crore is being spent annually on the education of 1.76 lakh students in Agency schools and colleges. Skill development centres are being established to train tribal youth in tourism, food processing, handicrafts, and e-commerce.
In the health sector, Naidu announced that Rs 482 crore is being spent to set up five multi-specialty hospitals in tribal areas. The government is also providing Rs 10,000 monthly pensions to 1,487 sickle cell anemia patients and has strengthened healthcare infrastructure.
On the agriculture front, the Chief Minister said coffee cultivation, currently spread over 2.58 lakh acres in 11 mandals of Paderu Agency, will be expanded by another 1 lakh acres. He also mentioned the cultivation of various other crops, including cherry, mango, cashew, and saffron.
Naidu outlined plans for road development in Agency areas, with 269 km of BT roads already built to connect 203 tribal villages at a cost of Rs 200 crore. Ongoing national highway projects in tribal districts cover 515 km at a cost of Rs 8,570 crore. He also announced plans to set up study circles for ST students in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati with an allocation of Rs 4.5 crore. A medical college and hospital will be established in Paderu, and administrative reorganisation is planned for Y Ramavaram mandal.
Other measures include providing road connectivity to all 1,483 tribal habitations, investing Rs 1,938 crore in Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs), and developing 472 km of international-standard roads.
Araku, Lambasingi and Maredumilli will be developed as tourism clusters, with support for 1,000 local homestays and Rs 2 crore allocated for the development of the Modakondamma temple. The government will also sanction 54,000 houses for tribals under the Rural Awas Yojana.