AP is a trend-setter: Chandrababu Naidu

Hyderabad, Jan 11 (INN): 'It is a general notion that after development, there is an obvious trickledown effect. If development takes place, the fruits of benefits will reach the common man. But, it is partially true. Trickledown effect is not automatic. The policy makers must eye on inclusive growth rate. Otherwise, the measures, how altruistic they are, will get neutralized over a period of time, if the inclusive growth rate is explicitly taken care of,' said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

In his keynote address during the second day plenary session ' 'Sunrise Andhra Pradesh: Turning Aspirations into Reality- Vision 2029,' in CII Partnership Summit 2016, the Chief Minister elaborated how he turned the aspirations into reality after he took reins of residual Andhra Pradesh, with the anecdotes during his previous 10-year tenure.

The Chief Minister apprised the participants from the market how did he strike a balance between the development and the welfare of the poor. Dealing with the dichotomy of these two aspects, he tried to prove that they were not binary oppositions.'While sustainable growth is our goal, we cannot lose focus of the welfare of the poor,' he emphasized.

Explaining how welfare of the common man has been considered a major component, the CM referred to a few of the 'unprecedented' schemes being implemented by AP government.

'Nearly Rs 5,600 crore is being spent a year to distribute social security pensions to 41 lakh beneficiaries from various categories , including old age people. Debt redemption to 54 lakh farmers to the tune of Rs. 25,000 crore was also another exceptional scheme,' he said.

BC Sub-Plan with an outlay of Rs 6,000 crore, which was created in the lines of SC- ST sub-plan, is first of its kind in the country, he added.

'We are prioritising irrigation projects. I get the ideal of interlinking of rivers fulfilled merely with a lift irrigation project,' he said, while ensuring development with penetration of welfare schemes to the grassroots levels. The CM made a special reference on dry-spell mitigation through rain guns, drip irrigation, sprinkle irrigation and construction of 10 lakh farm ponds across the State to make it drought-free.

"Amid the present depleting trends of economies- worldwide, India is a happening country with inspiring leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh is a trend-setter with abundant opportunities available," he said.

Referring to Microsoft CEO SatyaNadella and Google CEO SundarPichai, he said what more examples that he could cite on the technological prowess of the people of AP and also India. Technology can be a great enabler in deliverance of development, he opined.

The Chief Minister explained the gathering that AP government launched State Enterprise Architecture e-Pragati, first of its kind initiative to bring a sea-change in the citizen services.'The major components of e-Pragati revolve around 7 missions, 5 grids and 5 campaigns,' he added.

He gave an example how his presence of mind reduced the cost of the first phase of Fiber Grid in the state unbelievably to 7 percent. When we planned for fiber grid, with an objective to ensure that every household in the state has Internet, video and telephone services at doorstep, by March 2016, with a minimal charges of either Rs. 100 a month, or Rs. 150, it was estimated to be a whopping Rs 5000 crore. But, I brought it down to only Rs. 320 crore, while going for an alternative of using the existing electricity poles for surface network of the Fiber Grid, he added.

"This is how our State has been progressing. This is how I am turning aspirations into reality, after finding opportunities in crisis. This is how the new initiatives were taken to transform the economy of our State in short period. It is once again assured to all the investors from various countries and also to the investors of the land, I will provide you good governance, simplification of procedures," the Chief Minister said.