CM Naidu outlines welfare, development initiatives undertaken across Andhra Pradesh
Amaravati, Oct 5 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu participated in nine priority programmes during the past week, focusing on welfare, housing, rural infrastructure, drinking water, horticulture, administrative capacity and technology-driven development.
As part of the NTR Bharosa scheme, the government conducted the 28th round of pension distribution.
It has so far disbursed Rs 76,000 crore in pensions to elderly persons, persons with disabilities and other eligible beneficiaries.
Under the Pedalaku Pattabhishekam initiative, permanent house-site titles were distributed to eligible poor families living on government land for several decades.
In Vijayawada and adjoining constituencies, 26,401 families received titles to properties valued at Rs 11,246 crore at government rates and an estimated Rs 28,118 crore at market rates.
In Visakhapatnam, 28,445 families received titles to properties valued at Rs 8,874 crore at government rates and about Rs 22,185 crore at market rates.
In Mangalagiri, 5,800 beneficiaries received titles in three phases.
Across the three areas, 60,646 beneficiaries received titles to properties with a combined estimated market value of around Rs 52,000 crore.
The government also laid the foundation for three lakh houses under PMAY-Gramin 2.0 at Tenali, with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan participating in the programme.
Naidu requested the Centre to sanction another six lakh houses as part of the State’s target of constructing 19 lakh houses and providing homes to all eligible families by 2029.
Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched the Rs 11,085-crore Palle Panduga 3.0 programme at Udayagiri.
The programme includes 15,500 km of bituminous and cement concrete roads, 22,000 mini cattle shelters, the Haritha Gopalam fodder initiative, 1,000 km of “magic drains”, bus shelters, gram panchayat buildings and support for horticulture cultivation.
The State government also launched Rs 30,156 crore worth of works under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, named Amarajeevi Jaladhara, aimed at providing new household tap connections to another 27 lakh rural families.
At Madanapalle, Naidu, Pawan Kalyan and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the Global Horticulture Hub, a Rs 1 lakh crore initiative aimed at transforming Rayalaseema into a major horticulture centre.
Under the plan, Rs 40,000 crore is proposed to be mobilised with Central support and another Rs 60,000 crore through private investment.
The initiative covers 10 districts, 201 horticulture clusters, 303 mandals and 5,869 villages and seeks to expand horticulture cultivation by around six lakh hectares.
The government projects that the initiative will directly benefit 9.6 lakh farmers and create livelihood and employment opportunities for 49 lakh families.
It also envisages annual gross value added of about Rs 81,000 crore from associated economic activities.
The foundation stone was also laid for the Indian School of Agriculture, with support from Reliance, to promote research, knowledge and value-chain development in agriculture and allied sectors.
The government highlighted the iGOT-Karmayogi programme for strengthening the administrative skills of employees and improving public service delivery.
On Gandhi Jayanti, the Swachh Andhra-2026 awards recognised cleanliness initiatives with 91 State-level awards across 22 categories and 1,906 district-level awards.
The Pan-IIT AP-2026 summit in Vijayawada brought together directors of 23 IITs, over 50 industry heads and CEOs and 100 venture capitalists and investors.
The Amaravati Declaration envisages a permanent institutional council in Amaravati, a Rs 500-crore venture fund and a “lab-to-market” approach linking academic research with industry and investors.
Naidu also outlined plans to develop quantum technology systems and manufacturing capabilities in Amaravati, with quantum computer operations planned to begin in February 2027.
The initiatives, according to the government, are aimed at linking welfare measures with infrastructure development, higher farm incomes, improved public services, innovation and employment opportunities as part of the vision of a “Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Andhra Pradesh.”
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