AP records highest GSDP growth rate of 11.43% in country: CM

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said AP’s gross state domestic produce (GSDP) witnessed a growth rate of 11.43 per cent, the highest in the country and that this would serve as a role model to other states.

He was addressing a large public meeting at Vinukonda in Palnadu district on Monday, held to disburse Rs 330.15 crore to 3.30 lakh beneficiaries from the Rajaka, Nayi Brahmin and Dharji communities under ‘Jagananna Chedodu’ scheme.

The CM took potshots at the opposition parties’ claim that AP might slip into an economic crisis of the kind that Sri Lanka faced, due to heavy debts. He said this was for the first time that AP witnessed such a high economic growth rate. He said the YSRC government was promoting every sector to register growth in a big way and added that every family would benefit from this.

Reddy said that, in the last three-and-a-half-years, the government had disbursed Rs 927 crore for the deserving among the Rajaka, Nayi Brahmin and Dharji communities under the scheme. This, he noted, was done by pressing the button to remit the amount directly into their bank accounts of the beneficiaries without middlemen, bribe and any discrimination.

The CM stated that nearly 62 per cent of the population in AP was depending on agriculture. Of them, only 50 per cent farmers were small land-holders, having up to 1.25 acres of land, which was less than even half a hectare. Nearly 70 per cent of the state’s farmers, numbering around one crore, were having less than half a hectare land. Some 50 per cent of the farmers were having less than half a hectare (1.25 acres). They were getting financial assistance of Rs 13,500 under the Rytu Bharosa scheme, to raise crops. This grant helped them meet  80 per cent of the expenditure, the CM noted.

 “By setting up Rytu Bharosa Kendras and taking up the registration of each crop and bringing every acre under e-cropping, the government was extending all possible support to the farmers. It is our government that is providing input subsidies even before the cropping season is over in case of farmers suffering any crop damage or loss due to natural calamities. We are providing insurance coverage to the crops free of cost,” he said.

Referring to the self-help group women, the Chief Minister said nearly a crore of these women had been duped by the previous Telugu Desam government. The TD government had made a promise to waive their loans, resulting in several SHGs falling into grades like C and D, from A and B and their non-performing assets and outstanding dues to banks touched 18 per cent, he said.

Reddy claimed credit as to how the present government helped these SHG women to come back to A and B grades by improving their performance. “Their NPAs and outstanding dues had come down to just 0.5 per cent at present. Their contribution for the rise in the economic growth rate in the state was immense,” he said.

The Chief Minister said nearly 55 lakh families were doing petty business to earn a livelihood. For them, the YSRC government was providing financial assistance every year under the Cheyutha programme, he said, and added that such women were even doing business with major firms like Amul, ITC, Reliance, Proctor and Gamble, Hindustan Lever etc, helping the state to achieve a high rate of economic growth.

Reddy said 30 lakh women were given house sites by the present government. Some 20 lakh houses were being constructed for them at present. “Our government is committed to the welfare of people from the BC, SC, ST, minority communities as also the poor.”"

Reddy announced several sops to the people in Vinukonda Assembly segment based on a request from the legislator Bolla Brahma Naidu. He sanctioned Rs 12 crore for a drinking water scheme at Bollapalli mandal and Rs 15 crore for developing a 50-bed CHC to have 100 beds in addition to the sanction of a Muslim minority college for Vinukonda.