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Andhra Pradesh
Health concerns: The massive health insurance programme Arogyasri covers 1.82 crore families in the State. —
As Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy is poised to become the third Congress Chief Minister to complete the five-year term after Kasu Brahmananda Reddy and Jalagam Vengala Rao, the State is leading over others in terms of all-round growth. The State achieved a growth rate of 10.6 per cent compared to the national average of 9 per cent during the previous fiscal reflecting the healthy trends followed in economy. Unlike the previous years when subsidy was treated as a bane and doling out freebies was considered unviable, the government that took over on May 14, 2004, signed the first file on free power to farm sector and waived loans to the tune of Rs. 1,259 crore of farmers. Then followed a series of measures including allocation of huge budget for Jalayagnam, the government’s flagship programme for irrigating more than one crore acres with an estimated Rs. 1.3 lakh crore. A major chunk of the Rs. 1.03-crore budget, including the record plan budget in excess of Rs. 40,000 crore, has been allocated to irrigation sector reflecting the government’s priorities. 101 projects clearedThe State secured clearances for 101 projects, including the controversial Polavaram project, a milestone for the government. The controversies surrounding the projects apart, works on 14 out of 74 projects have been completed creating an irrigation potential of 15 lakh acres. The government has set itself a target to complete another 27 projects by March (before elections) to ensure that the works are in line with the promises made in the election manifesto. One of the major highlights of the five-year tenure of Dr. Reddy has been the optimum management of financial resources. In that, the government has not opted for ways and means all through. It has also not obtained loans from multi-lateral institutions or the Centre. There have been no major hikes in power and other tariffs during the period showing how subsidies can be provided to all sections with prudent management of resources. Youth empowermentIn addition to Rajiv Udyog Sri and Yuva Sakti, the programmes launched for youth empowerment as well as the Jawahar Knowledge Centres established in various universities, the government’s efforts to provide skill development programmes is paying off with number of multinationals taking the trained youth. Preceding this was the launch of the Pavala Vaddi (three per cent interest a year) on loans obtained by self help groups (this increased from Rs. 752 .9 crore between 1994-2004 to Rs. 8,779.77 crore between 2004-08) and the target this year has been pegged at Rs. 10,000 crore. The scheme has been subsequently extended to other sections, including famers. The mid-day meal scheme for children of even high schools and Rs. 2 kg rice for white ration card holders and Indira Kranti Padham for developing irrigation facilities in barren lands were only a few among the spree of welfare activities to ensure that all the deserving sections are covered under one or the other scheme.. While this is on the spectrum, the State continues to be on the top in the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act whose budget is estimated to cross Rs. 3,000 crore by the end of the current fiscal year. Introduction of social audit and payment of wages through post office accounts to make sure that only genuine workers were benefited paid off for the government in eliminating a majority of irregularities in the implementation of the scheme. Health insuranceThere is, of course, the Arogyasri programme, the massive health insurance programme covering 1.82 crore families with assured treatment up to Rs. 2 lakh. Flooded with ever-increasing number of patients, the corporate as well as the government hospitals are grappling with their limited resources in tackling the rush, amid complaints that only select few are given the best of the treatment. This apart, the Indiramma housing scheme, the massive weaker section housing programme, aimed at benefiting almost 80 lakh families, once the third phase is completed, will be yet another milestone in the government’s performance.
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