CM Sets Target for State’s Economic Growth Rate at 15%

 Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has called upon officials and people’s representatives to join hands for the development of Andhra Pradesh. The state, he said, should achieve an economic growth rate of 15 per cent.

Addressing an event Suparipalana-Tholi Adugu in Amaravati on Monday to mark completion of a year’s governance by the TD-led state government, the CM said good political governance was important to push the state’s development. Drawing inspiration from the spirit of the International Yoga Day celebrations in AP, he called upon all to build a healthy, wealthy and happy AP by 2029.

He called upon bureaucrats to adopt the Bangaru Families and strive for their development.

Referring to the installation of the ‘double engine government’ in the state last year under the leadership of Telugu Desam, along with the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, he said, “Our target is to realise the Swarnandhra-2047 and Viksit Bharat-2047 goals. The people gave us power and we are celebrating the completion of a year of our rule after the last polls.

Referring to the financial crisis in AP a year ago, Naidu said, “Without the support from the Centre, we could not have even breathed properly. We were able to do something in the last one year though we are not claiming that we did all what we promised. However, we did more than what we had promised.”

He said, “The three parties - TDP, Jana Sena and BJP -- are jointly leading AP in the path of progress and development. I am grateful to deputy CM Pawan Kalyan and state BJP chief D Purandeswari and the Centre for their full support.”

Naidu flayed the YSR Congress government for coming up with a proposal for three capitals, which he said caused destruction and also resulted in the exit of investors for want of trust.

Naidu said complete execution of the Polavaram irrigation project would help solve many problems, mainly the water crisis. Once the interlinking of rivers was done, it would help the state become prosperous.

He criticised the YSR Congress government for raising the state’s debt to 10 lakh crore and wondered how one could implement welfare schemes without creating wealth. The economy would survive only when the four traits like attracting investments, creation of wealth, raising income and providing welfare were scrupulously followed, he asserted.

Naidu listed out how his poll promises were being implemented, be it Thalliki Vandanam, free bus ride for women from Aug 15, the 10 per cent reservation to people from Gowda community in allotment of liquor shops, financial benefit of Rs 20,000 per family to fishermen and the resolve to set up solar rooftops for 20 lakh homes.

He ruled out any trouble due to Telangana taking up the Polavaram-Banacherla link project and underlined the need for both AP and TS to utilise the Godavari water to the full. He noted that nearly 3,000 tmcft of water was going waste into the sea per annum.

The CM said, “We have entered into memoranda of understanding with major firms to a high extent of Rs 9.34 lakh crore to set up industries, with job potential for 8.50 lakh persons. He advised the MLAs to find out who all are interested to invest in the state, so that he would give incentives to them.

“We will provide house sites and houses to all the homeless in the state in the next four years,” he said.

The CM underlined the importance of providing incentives for larger families unlike the earlier practice of punishing the families that were having more than two children, by barring them from local body polls.

Naidu called for efforts to raise GSDP to Rs 29.29 lakh crore with a per capita income of Rs 5.42 lakh by 2029. He wanted the state GSDP to grow to Rs 308 lakh crore with per capita income at Rs 55 lakh by 2047.

Referring to the conduct of International Yoga Day in Visakhapatnam, Naidu said that the state could make 21 entries in the World Book of Records and two Guinness World Records. Naidu and deputy CM Pawan Kalyan felicitated top officials from various departments and employees for making the International Yoga Day a grand success.