Andhra Pradesh’s growth rate in various sectors higher than the national average, says NITI Aayog member

Chief Minister attributes it to the slew of path-breaking reforms initiated by the government

NITI Aayog member Prof. Ramesh Chand who called on Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office, near Vijayawada, on Friday.

NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand has lauded the Andhra Pradesh government for achieving growth rates higher than the national averages in various sectors, including agriculture and higher education, and for having an impressive per capita income.

Andhra Pradesh fared better than several States in spite of the constraints faced by it, Prof. Ramesh told Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in a meeting with him at his camp office on Friday.

Prof. Ramesh said Andhra Pradesh ranked No.1 in the production of fruits and in aquaculture. He said the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) proved to be of tremendous help to the farmers by providing them an array of services across the agricultural supply chain.

On the higher education front, Andhra Pradesh’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) surpassed the national average, he said.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy told Prof. Ramesh that the government had initiated a slew of path-breaking reforms in the agriculture, healthcare and education sectors, and in housing.

Due priority had been accorded to improving the nutrition levels among children and lactating mothers. Significant progress was achieved with regard to women safety and empowerment, he added.

Village, ward secretariats

A key initiative that helped the State in taking citizen services to the people’s doorstep was the formation of village and ward secretariats, and the appointment of volunteers. Andhra Pradesh was leading other States in the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under various schemes, the Chief Minister said.

He said focus was also laid on skill development and improving the English language capacities among children so that they could gain the competitive edge over others. Besides, the government emphasised on digital classrooms, for which advanced equipment was being installed, he said.

Infrastructure boost

“Government schools have undergone dramatic transformation due to infrastructure augmentation under the Nadu-Nedu programme. Fee reimbursement has been a boon for the students and it gave a fillip to the GER,” he said.

Government hospitals were being developed to national standards, he said. The Aarogyasri scheme was helping the needy as it brought within their reach treatments that were otherwise not affordable, the Chief Minister said, adding that the family doctor concept was being promoted aggressively.