Rajahmunry:
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday said that the 'Indiramma Bata', a new mass contact programme, will be launched in every district of the state to assess whether the government schemes were reaching people at the grass-root level.
Speaking to reporters at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP T Ratnabhai in Rajahmunry, the chief minister claimed that the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government had launched several welfare and development schemes for the benefit of common man.
"The purpose of launching the 'Bata' programmes in every district would be to assess whether these schemes are reaching the beneficiaries or not at the grass-root level. If there are any lacunae in the system, we will change the schemes accordingly," Mr Reddy said.
He said Rs 1,000 crore was being spent every month on rural employment schemes in the state. "Our main aim is to provide employment to every person under this scheme," he said.
"Andhra Pradesh stood as a benchmark in the implementation of various schemes launched by the Centre," he said adding that Rs 2,500 crore will be spent on farm mechanisation in the coming three years.
He added that in order to control the "skyrocketing" prices of sand in the state, the government has issued directions to auction the sand.
"We are also taking steps to increase the working days under the employment guarantee scheme," he said.
The chief minister also assured the members of tribal communities his assistance in setting up schools, colleges in tribal areas as well as providing transportation facilities.
Talking to reporters at Kakinada, the Chief Minister said that the state government was going to buy 700 MW additional power from other states to meet the requirements of agriculture and industry.
Earlier, Mr Reddy visited weavers' colonies at Bhandarulanka and Batnapalli.
At a program in Rampachodavaram in East Godavari district, he assured that new schools would be set up in the Agency area.
Speaking at Girijan Ashram school, where he stayed for the night, he declared new infrastructure worth Rs 3 crore.
Addressing the students, he said knowledge of computers and proficiency in English were essential in the modern world.
Speaking at Amalapuram in East Godavari district, the chief minister said that farmers in the state would receive Rs 42,000 crore crop loan under the Union government's Rs 5.75 lakh crore loan to be provided to farmers in the country.
Mr Reddy said that Andhra Pradesh has got permission to export 25 lakh metric tons of rice out of the total 40 lakh metric tons to be exported from the country.
The state government has provided Rs 351 crore worth interest-free loan to 95 lakh farmers this year, he said.
Talking about the 'Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu' programme, the Chief Minister charged that some MPs had tried to belittle the prestigious employment programme of his government.
"Some MPs had written to the Prime Minister saying that a promise to provide government jobs was made, but only private jobs are being provided. This is misleading. We never promised government jobs. Of course, we had notified 1,16,000 government jobs (separately) and the process of recruitment of 95,000 jobs is on," he said.
Mr Reddy said that over 15 lakh unemployed youths will get employment opportunities by 2014 in the state under the Kiranalu scheme.
"So far, the state government has provided jobs to 1.16 lakh unemployed youths in the state. This year, four lakh youths will get employment and another four lakh next year," Mr Reddy claimed.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) found fault with CM's mass-contact programme.
"What is the need for the Chief Minister to undertake a mass-contact programme when the problems of the people are too well-known? Is it just aimed at his self-promotion?" senior TDP leader K Yerran Naidu asked.