Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu here on Sunday claimed that AP had been working for the last two years on a plan to double the productivity of the farmers with “good” results. He was speaking at the third meeting of the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council convened by the Prime Minister to discuss issues related to the “15-year vision document”.
In his remarks made in the presence of the Prime Minister, several Chief Ministers, NITI Ayog members and Central officials, Mr. Naidu said despite the problems it was facing as a nascent State with serious deficit, “We have been working to ensure the costs of inputs for production of foodgrains and pulses are kept down and the incomes are doubled. I can say with some sense of pride that we have made good progress.”
The Chief Minister claimed that his government had developed a scheme for market intervention to save the farmers from situations where they did not have to go for distress sale of their crops like chilly.
Revenue deficit
Mr. Naidu said the State had inherited serious revenue deficit following the bifurcation. Thanking the Prime Minister for the Central grant of ₹3,980 crore, the Chief Minister said since the estimated deficit was to the tune of ₹16,000 crore, the State expected a further grant of ₹12,000 crore from the Centre and generous help in the implementation of the Centrally sponsored schemes.
At a news conference here at the Andhra Bhawan later, Mr. Naidu said all the items listed in the agenda were discussed at the NITI Aayog meeting.
He said he favoured simultaneous elections to the the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies on the ground that it would help the government focus more clearly on development. Mr. Naidu called on Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister for Law and Justice and IT, and discussed the amendments proposed to the Land Acquisition Act.