Amaravati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday underlined the National Democratic Alliance government’s dual focus on welfare and development in the state, citing the distribution of pensions totaling Rs 48,019 crore and closing of fresh investments totaling Rs 10 lakh crore in just 16 months of governance.

He was speaking at a public meeting at Datti village in Dattirajeru mandal of Vizianagaram district on Wednesday. Naidu said the investments in the pipeline would create nine lakh jobs, of which 4.71 lakh have already materialised. “We are implementing a ‘welfare festival’ in Andhra Pradesh like nowhere else in the country. Pensions ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 15,000 are reaching nearly 60 per cent women beneficiaries,” he said. The Chief Minister personally handed over pensions to villagers, including the sick and elderly, and highlighted that arrears pertaining to more than 1.4 lakh beneficiaries had been cleared. He contrasted the State’s annual pension spend of Rs 32,143 crore with Uttar Pradesh’s Rs 5,160 crore and Telangana’s Rs 8,179 crore.

Naidu affirmed that women remain the focus of his government’s flagship schemes like Thallki Vandanam (Rs 10,090 crore direct cash transfers), Deepam (three free gas cylinders annually to over one crore families), and Stree Shakti (free bus travel for women, costing Rs 2,963 crore a year). He claimed over 10 crore women travelled under Stree Shakti in just 45 days.

Other welfare measures include a new support scheme “Auto driver sevalo’ for 2.9 lakh auto drivers, offering Rs 15,000 annually at a cost of Rs 435 crore, and direct farm income support of Rs 20,000 per farmer under PM Kisan Annadata Sukhibhava.

On the employment front, Naidu reiterated the state government’s promise of 20 lakh jobs, with recruitments underway in education, police, and IT-enabled services. Nearly 9,093 government posts and 6,100 police jobs have already been filled, he said.

Housing and healthcare also formed key planks, the Chief Minister said. He pledged houses for all by 2029, with 3 lakh already built and another 6 lakh due by June. He announced a universal health policy offering Rs 2.5 lakh cover for all citizens and free treatment up to Rs 25 lakh for the poor.

Naidu said the government’s decision to cut GST slabs would reduce prices for the poor and middle class, though it would cause Rs 8,000 crore revenue loss. “Every family will save Rs 1,000–1,500 monthly because of the Super GST,” he said.

Referring to the power sector, Naidu, citing efficient management, promised that there would no tariff hikes. He contrasted the previous government’s nine hikes with his decision to reduce true-up charges by 13 paise per unit from November 13. Solar rooftops and subsidies for farmers, SCs, STs, and BCs would further ease burdens, he said.

Mentioning that he would assume personal responsibility for Uttarandhra’s development, Naidu announced that the Bhogapuram International Airport would be ready by August 2026. Projects worth Rs 2,000 crore are being taken up in Vizianagaram, including irrigation works on Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers and a Rs 25 crore mini reservoir at Sarvagadda.

The Chief Minister listed investments in the pipeline such as projects of TCS, Cognizant, and Google data centres in Visakhapatnam, a tribal university, and the Rs 47,000 crore Arcelor-Mittal Nippon Steel Plant. The Vizag–Raipur greenfield highway would boost regional connectivity, he added.

Naidu accused the YSR Congress party of trying to obstruct progress with misinformation.

“In 2024, people got freedom. Some cannot tolerate others doing good. If they try to disrupt law and order, that will be their last day,” he warned.