It’s official, demanding special category status to Andhra Pradesh is not the main issue of the agenda set for the chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi tomorrow. Naidu is said to have spend whole day discussing with officials on the sectors that central assistance immediately.
Central assistance is the need of the hour, is the vague word the chief minister’s office used to describe the purpose of the meeting. The talks between the PM and CM will revolve around drought and efforts the state has initiated to make the entire state drought proof.
“The State Government has taken all possible steps to mitigate drought and now the onus in on the Central Government to assist the State Government in the completion of Polavaram Project, interlinking of rivers and successful implementation of Neeru- Pragati mission,” said the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. He has once again appealed for assistance from the Central Government to overcome the prevailing drought conditions in the State.
In a high-level review meeting with the Union Ministers, State Ministers, and officials, the Chief Minister analysed the assistance received so far from the Centre.
According to note issued by the chief ministers late night the CM inquired from the officials about the utilization of central funds received under NREGS, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Food Security Mission, National Horticulture Mission and instructed the officials to utilize funds received from the centre in time. The four-page note was silent on only one thing- the special category state status.
Despite the drought conditions the foresight and planning of the Government has helped in registering growth in agriculture and allied sectors, said the Chief Minister.
The constructions of farm ponds are yielding positive results in the drought prone district of Anantapuram and added that with the recent rains farm ponds are filled with water.
Focus on the primary sector has resulted in registering a growth rate of 8.4 % and creating wealth to a tune of one lakh sixty thousand crores.
Soil tests and issuing of soil health cards has helped to register 17% growth in yield from 23% to 40 %. He also added that 10 lakh farmers will be associated with Farmer Producers Organizations. Andhra Pradesh stands 2nd in micro irrigation farming by providing water to 6.93 lakh hectares.
Describing Neeru–Pragati as Andhra Pradesh’s mission, the Chief Minister said that the mission has helped in augmenting ground water table in Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapuram, and Nellore Districts.
He instructed the officials to include all these details in the power point presentation to be presented in front of the Prime Minister on May 17 of this month.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government has requested the Center for an assistance of Rs 2,005.56 crore out of which only Rs 433.77 crore was sanctioned and Rs 315. 95 crore is released to the State.
The total damage due to untimely rains and heavy floods was estimated to be Rs 5,129.35 crore and centre was requested to provide an assistance of Rs 3501.63 crore. But the centre has granted only Rs 280.19 crore, said the Chief Minister.
Hud-Hud cyclone which wrecked Vishakhapatnam resulted in a huge loss of Rs 4,160 crore. Out of 1000 crore assistance promised by the Prime Minister only Rs 550 crore is given so far.
The officials presented to the Chief Minister that in the year 2014-15 out of 13 districts in the state, 10 districts were affected by drought. The drought conditions adversely affected 359 Mandals and with the deficient rainfall, water levels in the reservoirs have come down drastically.
With the use of 687 rain guns in 2015 Rabi Season, crop in 9,100 acres was saved, said the officials to the Chief Minister.
The officials added that seeds and fertilizers are being supplied on time and 8.4 lakh farmers are given input subsidy worth Rs 737 crore.
In 2015-16 , 16,618 farm ponds were constructed and in this year the officials have set an ambitious target of constructing 6.05 lakh farm ponds to irrigate 3 lakh hectares and this will benefit 4.5 lakh farmers and helps to store an additional 2.75 tmc of water.
The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Sujana Chowdary, Deputy Chief Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Minsters Yanamala Rama Krishnudu, Prathipati Pulla Rao, Devineni Uma, Ayyanna Patrudu, Mrunalini, Chief Whip Kalava Srinivasulu, Chief Secretary S.P Tucker, Principal Secretary Satish Chandra and officials from various departments.
