The month that was Eventful march in welfare, development
Amaravati, March 31: The month had seen captains of industry converging at Vizag for the Investment summit, Assembly passing important Bills and resolutions, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy amplifying the development engine, welfare calendar getting a smooth sail and Ugadi being ushered in with traditional fervour and gaiety while the Party Formation Day had reiterated its commitment for people-centric governance and more nutrition was added in the form of ragi malt to school children.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s commitment and his dynamic leadership has attracted investment proposals worth Rs 13.41 lakh crore in the Advantage Andhra Pradesh Global Investment Summit (GIS) 2023 held at Visakhapatnam on March 3 and 4.
Industry bigwigs like Mukesh Ambani, Karan Adani, Naveen Jindal, GM Rao, Sumant Sinha, Hari Mohan Bangur, Preetha Reddy, Puneet Dalmia,Sajjan Bhajanka, Sumit Bidani, BVR Mohan Reddy, Satish Reddy, Satyanarayana Chava, Vamsi Krishna Bandi, Sergio Lee, Suchitra K Ella, Santhanam B, Vineet Mittal, Gajanan Nabar, Masahiro Yamaguchi, Martin Eberhard congregated for the GIS and MoUs were signed in various sector with green energy taking a lion’s share.
To speed up the processing of the MoUs signed at GIS, the Chief Minister also announced the constitution of a high-power committee led by Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy. On the welfare front, the Chief Minister has released the calendar for the financial year 2023-24. He released Rs 6,419.89 crore aid benefiting 78.94 lakh women under the third tranche of YSR Aasara.
Visakhapatnam besides hosting GIS also conducted G-20 Infrastructure Working Group Meeting that highlighted the hospitality ambience of the State placing it on the map of the world’s tourism and hospitality industry.
Tourism Department cornered 123 of the total 378 MoUs attracting Rs.21,941crore investments and the liberalized industrial policy focus seems to benefit MSME sector immensely.
Chief Minister’s open invitation to the G-20 Infrastructure Working Group delegates to suggest ways on developing a sustainable infrastructure in the Jagananna Housing Colonies proves his sincerity to provide long-lasting and quality infrastructure to the residential colonies of the poor.
Addressing the 222nd State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting, the Chief Minister has appealed to the banking sector to play a proactive role and adopt a more positive approach towards the housing and education sectors.
Taking to Twitter, YSR Congress Party President and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy greeted the party cadre on the 13th Formation Day. “I thank the activists who have turned the party flag into their hearts and party activists who stood by me solidly in the 12-year long journey. I wish our journey shall continue in the same vein”, he said.
Andhra Pradesh Government has presented a budget with an outlay of Rs 2.79 lakh crores for the financial year 2023-2024 with focus on welfare and the tone pronouncing that Navaratnalu has a strong reflection on sustained development. Welfare has taken a lion’s share of the budget allocation with YSR Pensions getting Rs. 21,434.72 crores and the total Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) running into Rs 54,228.36 crore.
The Chief Minister, termed the budget as welfare-development oriented with education, health, Medicare, farmers’ wellbeing and women empowerment being the core areas and going ahead with the poverty alleviation programme. Reiterating that the rural landscape has undergone a big change which is very much tangible, the Chief Minister said that the State stands as a role model in the country with a fine balance between welfare and development during the motion of thanks to the Governor’s speech in the State Assembly.
During the Assembly sessions, the House adopted the two resolutions requesting the Centre to include the Boya / Valmiki community in the list of the Scheduled Tribes and to extend Scheduled Caste Status to members of the Scheduled Caste community who are converted to Christianity.
During his visit to New Delhi, the Chief Minister called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested him to expedite work on several issues pending even nine years after the bifurcation of the state. He also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the pending issues with him. He also called on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sought the release of NREGA arrears of Rs 2,500 crore due to the State besides increasing credit limit.
An eight member delegation of the World Bank led by its Country Director for India, Auguste Tano Kouame called on the Chief minister and appreciated the way projects Andhra’s Learning Transformation (SALT) project, the Andhra Pradesh Integrated Irrigation and Agriculture Transformation Project and the Improved Health Services Project being implemented in the state.
Chief Minister and his wife YS Bharathi Reddy dressed in traditional attire celebrated Sobhakrutu Nama Ugadi with traditional gaiety and fervour. He greeted all Telugu people and wished them good health and prosperity in the Telugu New Year. The couple offered prayers at the temples of Lord Venkateswara Swamy, Lord Ganesh and Tulasi before listening to the Panchanga Sravanam rendered by the renowned astrologer Kappagantula Subbarama Somayaji who predicted good rains, good governance and self-sufficiency in all prime sectors in the New Year.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to complete the enumeration of crop loss due to the recent untimely rains at the earliest.
Prominent personalities like Shree Swaminarayan Trust, Muslim Association leaders, Retired IAS Samuel Anand Kumar, Lokayukta Justice Lakshman Reddy, Newly elected MLCs, Nayee Brahmin leaders were among those who called on Chief Minister in the month.
