Andhra Pradesh   

28 per cent hike in annual plan outlay for Andhra Pradesh

Special Correspondent

Fixed at Rs. 20,000 crores; billed as the largest ever for any State

NEW DELHI: The annual plan size for Andhra Pradesh for this fiscal has been fixed at Rs. 20,000 crore. Billed as the largest ever outlay for any State, the contours of the plan were drawn up here on Tuesday at a meeting Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Briefing mediapersons about the discussions, Dr. Reddy said the Planning Commission had agreed to a 28 per cent increase in the annual plan outlay for the State from Rs. 15,650.77 crore in 2005-06.

The outlay includes a one-time Central assistance of Rs. 134.33 crore for projects of special importance to the State, particularly for enhancing agricultural productivity and watershed management.

Ahluwalia lauds State

A related statement issued by the Planning Commission said Mr. Ahluwalia complimented the State for a healthy growth trend with expenditure realisation being satisfactory and said the State was expected to perform up to expectation for the entire Tenth Plan period.

Further complimenting the State for focussing considerably on creating additional irrigation capacity, he said Andhra Pradesh had the unique distinction of allocating 51 per cent of its outlay to the irrigation sector.

Houses for the poor

The allocation for irrigation, agriculture and watershed management has been pegged at Rs. 10,594.43 crore.

Second priority area for the State this fiscal will be the `Indiramma' scheme to provide housing to the homeless over the next three years. Rs. 5,000 crore has been set aside for this scheme.

Naxalite issue

On the naxalite issue, Mr. Ahluwalia said the Centre was keen on evolving a strategy aimed at improving the pace of development in the naxalite-affected areas and would look towards Andhra Pradesh for inputs.

Dr. Reddy, in turn, said his intention was to get each family in the State to develop a vested interest in the system so that they would strive to preserve it. The State, he said, was in the process of identifying young persons in naxalite-affected districts and providing them employment with private firms after training in various trades.

`No ideology'

When the Chief Minister was quizzed by reporters on Monday's encounter with naxals in the Mahabubnagar area in which the police recovered a huge amount of cash that the naxalites had extorted from some contractors in the region, Dr. Reddy said: "This shows that there is no ideology left among naxalites and Maoists all over the country. They are just plain extortionists."

`Open to talks'

On the possibility of negotiations with naxal groups, Dr. Reddy said: "Nothing is planned but we are open to talks. Our door is open and they can come anytime provided they lay down their arms."

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