As long as I live, I will work for poor: Andhra CM Naidu

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that “as long as I am alive, I will work for the poor,” emphasising that he is “always thinking about them.”

Addressing the Assembly on the TDP-led NDA government’s welfare programmes and election manifesto promises, Naidu asserted that the “double engine sarkar” had enabled his government to implement numerous initiatives in the past 15 months.

“As long as I am alive, I will work for the poor. I am always thinking about the poor,” he said, urging everyone to work towards rebuilding the state and making the Telugu community number one.

Recalling that the TDP, Janasena, and BJP contested the 2024 polls together, promising development, welfare, and good governance, Naidu said, “We are all living up to that word now.”

Announcing a new welfare scheme in the House, Naidu said the ‘Auto Diverla Sevalo’ scheme will be launched on October 4, offering Rs 15,000 annually to over 2.9 lakh auto-rickshaw drivers.

The government will spend Rs 435 crore on the scheme, he added, noting that the previous YSRCP government had offered only Rs 12,000 per annum to auto-rickshaw drivers.

Naidu also provided an overview of other welfare schemes, especially the ‘Super Six’ set of programmes.

He said the NDA alliance government is executing the largest welfare pension programme through ‘NTR Bharosa’, distributing Rs 2,745 crore every month. Out of more than 63 lakh pensioners, 59 per cent are women, with an annual expenditure of Rs 32,143 crore, he added.

Highlighting ‘Stree Shakti’, Naidu said the free bus travel scheme for women had provided 8.86 crore rides so far, costing Rs 2,963 crore per annum, and contributed to enhancing occupancy in Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses.

Likewise, Naidu said Rs 10,091 crore had been spent on ‘Talliki Vandanam’, which offers Rs 15,000 per annum to eligible school-going children, and promised to extend the scheme to anyone who missed out.

Similarly, he said 2.66 crore free gas cylinders had been distributed to eligible beneficiaries under the ‘Deepam-2’ scheme, which offers 3 free LPG cylinders annually to eligible families. He went on to elaborate on several other welfare initiatives.

Further, the chief minister underscored that he had set a target to transform one lakh women into industrialists. Entrusting this responsibility to MLAs, he directed them to identify 1,000 women each and empower them to become industrialists.

“With the cooperation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, the NDA alliance government is working with dedication,” Naidu said.

Moreover, he cautioned MLAs, stating, “If MLAs have their own personal agendas, it will lead to a blockade in the state’s development. Hence, I urge them to be wary.”