Andhra Pradesh Targets 15% GSDP Growth for 2025-26

Amaravati, March 25 (NationPress) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday urged district Collectors to target a 15 percent increase in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the fiscal year 2025-26.

This directive was issued at the launch of a two-day conference for Collectors held at the state Secretariat.

Naidu noted that the growth rate had been 13.5 percent from 2014 to 2019, which fell to 10.32 percent during 2019-24. Fortunately, the government has managed to elevate it back to 12.02 percent in 2024-25.

With a state budget of Rs 3.27 lakh crore, Naidu highlighted that even a 1 percent growth increase could yield an additional Rs 15,000 crore in revenue.

He stated that the long-term vision aims to create an economy worth Rs 308 lakh crore by 2047, alongside a per capita income target of Rs 54.60 lakh.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed his dedication to revitalizing Andhra Pradesh, emphasizing that his administration has diligently worked over the past nine months to recover the state from previous challenges.

He encouraged officials to act with genuine commitment to rectify the issues brought about by the previous administration's "destructive governance", ensuring that welfare and development effectively reach the populace.

Naidu mentioned that the government is actively monitoring various initiatives, including public feedback on 22 essential services, to build trust in its commitment to serve.

The vision document titled ‘Swarnandhra 2047’ includes ten fundamental principles, stating that planning should extend from the state level down to districts, constituencies, mandals, and village secretariats, with district Collectors acting as chairpersons for vision execution, while MLAs will lead at the constituency level.

He informed that infrastructure projects valued at Rs 55,000 crore, including national highways, are currently underway and must be completed within two years. Collectors have been instructed to actively secure environmental and other necessary approvals.

Naidu criticized the previous five years for governance failures that led to public discontent. He noted his coalition's 93 percent strike rate in elections, reflecting the public's dissatisfaction with past governance and high hopes for the new administration.

He emphasized that effective governance rests on three pillars: welfare, development, and self-reliance. Addressing poverty and public welfare necessitates sustainable welfare initiatives, which require adequate revenue. He pointed out that the prior government amassed a debt of Rs 9.74 lakh crore, which now needs to be repaid, including interest.

Additionally, he announced the initiation of the recruitment process for over 16,000 government teachers, with the DSC (District Selection Committee) notification to be released in the first week of April. A systematic method will be adopted to ensure a seamless recruitment process to fill 16,347 teacher positions, with appointments expected before the new academic year.

He claimed that the government has honored several promises in the last nine months. Andhra Pradesh now offers the highest social security pension in the nation at Rs 4,000, significantly raised from Rs 200 in 2014 to Rs 2,000 and now directly to Rs 4,000. Disability pensions have also increased from Rs 500 to Rs 6,000, while kidney patients receive Rs 10,000, and bedridden individuals are granted Rs 15,000 under a humanitarian framework.

The government has set up 204 Anna Canteens to combat hunger among the underprivileged, with Collectors tasked to oversee these canteens. Under the Deepam-2 scheme, three LPG cylinders are provided annually.

Claiming that the Polavaram project is back on track with the cooperation of the Central government, Naidu mentioned its expected completion by 2027. Work on the Amaravati capital city has also resumed, with financial support being sought from institutions like the World Bank and the ADB. Amaravati is being developed as a self-sustaining project and a global model for urban development, with a similar approach planned for the Nakkapalli steel plant.