The Hindu : TDP to give thrust to farm sector: Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 28, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

TDP to give thrust to farm sector: Naidu

By Dasu Kesava Rao

WARANGAL May 27. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has said his Government will give a special thrust to the agricultural sector and make substantial investments to help the farmer meet the World Trade Organisation (WTO) challenge.

He said the farmer should be exposed to the latest crop management practices and technological innovations and trained to reduce the cost of cultivation, improve production and yield. Unless farming practices became competitive worldwide, it was not easy to cope with the WTO challenge. China, which demonstrated success in this area, had set an example. The Central Government should also address the concerns of the farmers.

He was speaking at the Telugu Desam Mahanadu which began its 3-day session here on Monday. In his marathon speech, he took the party cadre on a tour de horizon of his Government's achievements in the last six years and the tasks ahead.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu recalled how he strove to put the economy and administration back on the rails after the Congress (1989-94) put the development clock back by 10 years. Reforms were the only way to bring a turnaround and progress. While China and other Asian countries initiated reforms early, went wholehog and reaped a good harvest, India had dithered.

The reform process in Andhra Pradesh ensured that poverty levels dropped below the national average, revenue receipts improved, revenues of civic bodies were up, public sector units like Singareni Collieries climbed out of the red and showed profits. Earnings from IT-enabled services went up three-fold in one year.

This was possible despite recurring natural calamities and a steep fall in central devolutions.

He said he went for external and other borrowings, taking care to spend them only for development projects. Dismissing the charge of reckless borrowing and consequent debt trap, he said every State and every country borrowed to fund programmes. Much of the assistance was at low rate of interest and also as outright grant. AP's debt as share of the GSDP was much lower than many big States.

Special thrust was laid on irrigation sector and more area was being brought under cultivation under SRSP, SLBC (A. Madhava Reddy canal), Jurala and other projects. Work on bringing the Krishna waters to Hyderabad would start soon. Steps were being taken to ensure drinking water in all villages. Over 3.5 million children (5-14 years) would be brought into the schoolfold in two years as part of total literacy by 2005.

AP climbed from spot no. 23 to 2 in industrial investments. Labour reforms would be undertaken in a big way without hurting the interests of the workers.

The TDP believed in decentralisation and empowering the local bodies. While the Congress perpetuated `Special Officers raj', the TDP held elections to them.

Mr. Naidu said people were always with the party and would remain so as long as `we do good things'. The Telugu Desam never feared elections and would win the Assembly and the Lok Sabha elections with a thumping majority, he rounded off amid cheers.

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