Veena-maker Sheik Mabu Saheb of Nuzvid presenting a veena to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the ‘Praja Vedika’ programme at Vadlamanu village in Agiripalli mandal of Eluru district on Friday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asserted that the NDA government in the State is leaving no stone unturned to implement the promises made before the general elections even as the coffers were empty.
Addressing a public meeting organised in connection with the birth anniversary of Jyothirao Phule here on Friday, Mr. Naidu said that he had a strong desire to do everything. The coffers, however, were empty. There were restrictions on the borrowings, making it difficult for the State to raise funds for development. Nobody was coming forward to lend loans. ‘‘Loans can be borrowed only if one has creditworthiness. You would have experienced this in your personal life as well. Same is the case with me. They have trust and confidence in me. Even you thought the same. They knew Mr. Naidu is capable. Despite this, the State government is poised to implement the ‘Super Six’ schemes for A.P.’s development. The schemes are being implemented systematically, one by one,’‘ he said.
Mr. Naidu said the society would not develop if the borrowings were not used for development purposes. The previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) had resorted to borrowing only to distribute the money. Huge corruption took place during the previous YSRCP rule, he said.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the ‘Thalliki Vandanam’ scheme, offering financial support to mothers for their children’s education, will be launched within the next couple of days. ‘‘Every eligible mother will receive benefits under the programme. Starting May, the government will provide ₹20,000 per farmer annually, with the State contributing ₹14,000 and the Central government providing ₹6,000 under the PM-KISAN scheme. This amount will be disbursed in three installments, aimed at supporting agricultural families and boosting farm productivity,’‘ he said.
Reaffirming his commitment, Mr. Naidu promised to complete the Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Project, vital for agricultural development in several regions.
Fertility rate
Raising a critical demographic concern, Mr. Naidu noted that Andhra Pradesh’s fertility rate had fallen to a 1:1.5 ratio, and if this trend continued, the State’s population might start shrinking by 2035. He stressed the need to increase the fertility rate to at least 2.0 to sustain demographic balance and future workforce requirements.
Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy and others were present.
Published – April 11, 2025 07:19 pm IST
