Vijayawada, March 19 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Thursday that the objective of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition government is to provide financial, social, and health security to every single individual in the state.

Addressing Ugadi celebrations here, the Chief Minister added that the state government over the last 21 months launched several schemes to achieve the objective.

Listing out the welfare schemes, Chief Minister Naidu said that through the ‘Talli ki Vandanam’ scheme, the state government is providing financial assistance to mothers, regardless of the number of children they have.

Under ‘Annadata Sukhibhava,’ the state government is providing annual financial assistance of Rs 20,000 each to farmers.

Through ‘Stree Shakti’, the Andhra Pradesh government introduced free regional transport corporation bus travel for women. As of now, women have undertaken 56 crore journeys.

Under ‘Divyang Shakti’ initiative, the state government is providing free bus travel facility for persons with disabilities.

“We are paying a monthly honorarium of Rs 15,000 to temple priests (Archakas), and we are also providing honorariums to Imams and Muezzins. We are working with the objective of ensuring that everyone in society lives happily.”

The Chief Minister also spoke about the ‘P4’ programme, saying it is aimed at elevating the living standards of the poor.

“We launched this programme to enable the wealthiest 10 per cent of society to support and uplift the bottom 20 per cent,” he said.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said the state government will launch various initiatives under comprehensive Population Management Policy to boost population growth.

He also added that the state government is contemplating measures to revive the system of joint families.

The Chief Minister said that to ensure comprehensive development, the state government is developing regional economic corridors at Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Amaravati.

He noted that the state government plans to develop the state through short, medium, and long-term plans.

The state government will develop a robust logistics ecosystem by integrating ports, airports, roadways, and railway lines.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the Polavaram project will be completed and dedicated to the nation before the commencement of the Godavari Pushkarams.

Consequently, water will flow via gravity to the Krishna Delta and Visakhapatnam, rendering the entire state fertile and prosperous.

While thanking the Central government for providing funds for Polavaram, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that an additional Rs 5,000 crore is still required.

State Ministers Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Kandula Durgesh; MLAs Bonda Umamaheswara Rao and Gadde Rammohan; MLC Panchumarthi Anuradha; along with several Corporation Chairpersons and officials, participated in the event.

The Chief Minister, Ministers, and TDP leaders tasted the traditional ‘Ugadi Pachadi’.

Madugula Nagaphani Sarma read the ‘Panchanga Sravanam’ (almanac).

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that ‘Ugadi Pachadi’ reflect our lives as it comprises a blend of various tastes — sour, sweet, astringent, bitter, and spicy.

“Just like the joys and sorrows, the ups and downs of life, all these diverse flavors are intertwined and inseparable,” he added.

–IANS

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