Andhra Pradesh faced numerous challenges head on and thanks to the cooperation of people, the state made remarkable progress in various sectors, surpassing past achievements, Governor S. Abdul Nazeer said on Friday.
Addressing the Republic Day parade at IMGC Stadium here, he outlined the initiatives taken by the government and the reforms introduced to distinguish Andhra Pradesh on the national stage.
Elaborating on the schemes being implemented by the government, he claimed that in the past 56 months, it provided a direct benefit transfer of Rs 2,52,943 crore and a non-DBT transfer of Rs 1,68,151 crore, a total of Rs 4,21,094.56 crore.
“Our government aims to bring joy to every underprivileged individual, cutting across caste, religion, class, region and political affiliations. We are committed for delivering welfare schemes effectively and without any discrimination, in a saturation mode,” said the Governor.
He mentioned that marking the 75th year of the Republic, the 206-foot-tall statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, unveiled a week ago, stands as a symbol of our allegiance to the Constitution.
Reflecting the values of secularism, socialism, democracy, and republic, the state government, over the past 56 months, has been a testament to these principles, he said.
He stated that the state’s initiatives are designed to proactively address the needs of citizens and these efforts are yielding positive results.
“A key feature of my government is the prompt and transparent delivery of welfare and development schemes, ensuring they reach beneficiaries satisfactorily. Over the past 56 months, we’ve embarked on a transformative journey, bringing administrative reforms to every village in the state, thereby breathing life into the concept of Gram Swaraj or village self-governance. Our government’s initiatives have been pivotal in reshaping the rural landscape, ensuring that development reaches even the most remote villages.”
Nazeer said a major step towards empowering citizens was the establishment of 15,004 village/ward secretariats, which have been instrumental in delivering over 540 government services right at the people’s doorstep. This system is supported by a robust network of over 1.35 lakh permanent Gram/Ward Secretariat employees and 2.66 lakh dedicated volunteers.
He also claimed that with abundant resources and immense opportunities, Andhra Pradesh has become an attractive destination for industrialists. Implementing a single-window policy, it has been granting all necessary approvals within 21 days of application. This has led to a significant influx of investors into the state.
In the last 56 months, over 311 large and mega industries have been established, providing employment to more than 1.30 lakh people.
In the Global Investors’ Summit held last March, the state secured 386 agreements worth Rs. 13.11 lakh crore, which will create job opportunities for an additional 6.07 lakh individuals.
“Our state has joined the ranks of those with the highest GSDP growth rates in the country. Consistently ranked number one in Ease of Doing Business for three consecutive years, we have also received numerous prestigious awards.”
He noted that for a long period, Andhra Pradesh had only 6 ports and in order to give boost to port-led development, the government was adding four new ports at Ramayapatnam, Moolapet, Machilipatnam, and Kakinada Gateway, with an investment of Rs 16,000 crore.
This will increase the cargo handling capacity to 110 million tonnes, directly and indirectly creating jobs for 75,000 people, he said, adding that construction of 10 fishing harbours and 6 fish landing centres with world class infrastructure is under brisk progress to benefit fishermen.
The government is taking steps towards construction of a port or a fishing harbour for every 50 km of coastline in the state.
The construction of the Bhogapuram International Airport, with an investment of Rs. 3,200 crores, is progressing rapidly, he said, noting that this project is expected to provide direct employment to 5,000 people and indirect employment to over 80,000.
Airports in Gannavaram, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Kurnool, and Kadapa have been expanded too. He claimed that the government has implemented 99.5 per cent of the promises made in the manifesto.
The Governor unfurled the national flag, took salute of the contingents, inspected the parade and presented mementos to the best contingents, and awards to the best tableaus on the occasion.
Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, ministers and senior officials attended the programme.