Hyderabad, November 01: The Chief Minister, mr K Rosaiah, on Monday said that two main goals before his government were to achieve sustainable development and welfare of the weaker sections.
Speaking at 55th Andhra Pradesh State Formation Day celebrations at the NTR Stadium here, Mr Rosaiah said that good governance was an important tool in achieving sustainable development and welfare of the weaker sections. “I assure once again on the occasion of State formation day that my government would make concerted efforts in this direction”, he added.
Stating that governments were answerable to the people, the Chief Minister claimed that he was making it very clear at every review meeting with officials that welfare of the poor was top priority to the State government and it should be reflected in every programme. Listing the welfare schemes, Mr Rosaiah felt that the main objective of the welfare schemes was to build an opinion among the people that the Congress government was working for their uplift. Though the government has taken up several schemes, they will be of no use, if their results were not percolated to the beneficiaries. The people expect ‘quality of good governance’ from democratic governments that respond quickly to their problems and issues, he opined.
Stating that the state has achieved development in all sectors in the last five-and-a-half decades, the Chief Minister pointed out that the State budget was increased to Rs One lakh crores in 2010 from Rs 58 crores in 1957-58. Similarly, food grain production was increased to 200 lakh tones from 51 lakh tones during the same period. Industrial centers were set up in all the districts and Special Economic Zones were coming up in various places in the State in the recent years, he recalled. The successive governments have focused on development of infrastructure in the first 25 years after the formation of the State and helped achieve development, he felt.
The Chief Minister felt that drought, floods, communal riots, regional agitations and death of Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy dealt a blow to development of the State last year. Yet, the State was picking up fast this year and moving towards bright future. “With whom can I share this happiness except the people, who give energy to me”, he maintained.
Mr Rosaiah said that though economic progress was encouraging in 2009-10, the State government made continuous efforts to improve the situation. His confidence that commitment and optimism of the government would definitely yield results did not end in vain. The financial condition of the state improved satisfactorily due to our efforts, he added. The revenue of the State government also increased by 25.5 per cent in the first six months of the financial year compared to the same period last year. “We should continue our efforts to achieve the goals set by the government for the welfare of the people”, he added.
——–NSS