Guv highlights YSRCP govt efforts to reduce poverty

Vijayawada: Delivering the last customary address to the 12th session of the 15th Legislative Assembly and 44th session of the Council on Monday Governor S Abdul Nazeer highlighted government's efforts in reducing poverty, among others.

Underscoring government's achievements in his address to the budget session of the Assembly and the Legislative Council at Velagapudi in Amaravati, the Governor read out government's programmes, such as poverty alleviation, and noted the contribution of agriculture and allied services to the state GSDP that rose to 36 per cent against the 18 per cent at the national level. Further, he said the southern state ranked first with 30 per cent of the national share and 99.83 per cent recovery under the self-help group (SHG) bank linkage programme.

The government has recently enhanced the monthly welfare pension to ameliorate the hardships of the poor and vulnerable sections under YSR Pension Kanuka. Similarly, he observed, the state government extended financial support to all eligible persons irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, region, gender and political affiliation in a saturation and time bound manner.

According to the Governor, various welfare benefits amounting to Rs 4.23 lakh crore under direct benefit transfer (DBT) and non-DBT modes were delivered since June 2019, among other highlights. On the other hand, the Opposition TDP staged a walkout protesting against the ruling YSCRP on the issues, including the alleged delay in Polavaram irrigation project.

The TDP legislators expressed their dissatisfaction with the ruling YSRCP government and protested amidst police barricades near the Assembly Hall. TDP expressed its concerns about the non-release of job calendars and the prolonged delay in the completion of the Polavaram project, among other burning issues.

The TDP representatives asserted that the state government has failed Andhra Pradesh and there is nothing to be discussed. Hindupur MLA N Balakrishna lashed out at the state government for allegedly deploying police force to suppress the Opposition.