Amaravati, May 8 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday directed officials to intensify efforts towards housing for all, welfare delivery and social empowerment, stating that governance must directly improve the quality of life of poor, middle-class and vulnerable sections.
Addressing the second day of the Seventh District Collectors’ Conference at the Secretariat here, Naidu reviewed welfare departments, revenue administration, housing programmes and summer action plans.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure housing for all eligible beneficiaries through construction, land allocation and regularisation measures.
He directed authorities to organise collective housewarming ceremonies for 2.5 lakh houses by August 15 and another 2.38 lakh houses by December. The government has also set a target of constructing an additional 10 lakh houses by December 2027.
The Chief Minister said nearly two lakh families were expected to require house sites and directed officials to provide three cents of land in rural areas and two cents in urban areas wherever possible.
He also instructed authorities to regularise houses built on government lands and hill areas and resolve pending 22A land issues.
He further directed officials to complete the statewide land re-survey and issuance of pattadar passbooks by 2027.
On social justice measures, Naidu said the government would examine extending welfare benefits available to Scheduled Castes to the Budaga Jangam community, subject to approvals from the Centre regarding SC inclusion demands.
He added that a special commission had been constituted to study backwardness among BC communities and appropriate reservations in local bodies would be implemented based on its recommendations.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to focus on livelihood generation through Rural Auto Nagar clusters in constituencies with significant minority populations and integrate welfare initiatives such as Jaladhara and fodder development with Central government schemes.
Emphasising reduction of financial burden on citizens, he directed departments to work towards lowering household expenditure on education, healthcare and electricity while ensuring equal opportunities for SC, ST, BC, minority and economically weaker communities through education, skill development and employment initiatives.
Highlighting the government’s welfare initiatives, Naidu said over 11 lakh families had already been adopted under the P4 initiative, which combines educational support, economic assistance and employment opportunities.
He also announced subsidised rooftop solar schemes for SC, ST and BC families.
Reviewing welfare programmes, the Chief Minister said ₹3,504 crore had already been spent under Deepam 2.0 benefiting 1.08 crore beneficiaries.
Under the Stree Shakti scheme, 60.6 crore free bus journeys had been recorded with annual expenditure of ₹1,940 crore, while the Talliki Vandanam scheme was benefiting 67 lakh people with allocations nearing ₹10,000 crore.
He also announced that assistance worth ₹286 crore would be distributed under the Matsyakarula Sevalo programme on May 19.
The Chief Minister further directed officials to establish Net Zero Healthy Campuses in hostels with integrated kitchens, fruit gardens and waste recycling systems, while also facilitating IIT coaching, education loans and overseas employment training programmes for students from weaker sections.
On tribal welfare, Naidu said coffee, turmeric and saffron cultivation were being promoted in tribal regions with focus on value addition, certification and processing infrastructure.
He urged officials to strengthen the global positioning of Araku Coffee by integrating it with tourism initiatives.
TNT KM
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