AP heading for
agri-business revolution in 12th plan
Hyderabad|India|May '2011:The
Planning Commission has acknowledged the fact that
Andhra Pradesh is a front-runner State in the
country on the development front and has completed
reforms process in Power sector, Irrigation,
Municipal Administration and Urban Development
etc. and is a major contributor to food security
in the country. The State has also prepared ground
for Agri-business revolution in the 12th Plan. The
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy explained to
the Planning Commission the steps initiated by the
State towards achieving food security and also in
achieving reforms in various sectors during his
discussion with the Planning Commission while
finalising the State's annual plan outlay for
2011-12.
The Chief Minister said that the food production
is expected to go up from 200 Lakh MTs to 300 Lakh
MTs. The horticulture production is slated to go
up from 205 lakh tons to 265 lakh tons. Value
addition of almost 50% is planned in Primary
sector through agribusiness and cluster
development approach. The Livestock sector is
slated for a robust 10 % growth in 12th plan.
The Chief Minister said that because of the
initiatives taken up in last six years, Andhra
Pradesh is on road to achieve Millennium
Development Goals by 2015 on poverty, literacy,
gender balance and access to health and drinking
water front. Almost all vacancies in health and
education departments have been filled up in the
State by a recruitment drive taken up by these
departments after approval from the State
Government. Access to these services is being
monitored and the delivery system has been
streamlined. Major exercise has been launched this
year on Gender sensitization and next year's
budget will incorporate this aspect.
The Chief Minister explained to the Planning
Commission that performance under all flagship
programmes has picked up considerably and the
State is set to achieve the number one position in
the implementation of the 20- point programme in
2010-11. This year more than 6,500 habitations
have been covered under drinking water and
sanitation programme too was picked up and work
will be completed in two years' time. The setback
of the past has been rectified .The drinking water
and sanitation programmes in schools has been
geared up to complete most of the schools in the
during summer season.
The Planning Commission appreciated the State for
deciding to launch the Badi Bata campaign in next
two months to cover 1.17 lakh out-of-school
children. He said efforts are also being taken up
to improve the enrollment in upper primary schools
and the quality of inputs. Andhra Pradesh has
launched the massive Jalayagnam programme to
provide assured irrigation water for 60% of new
ayacut in the country and achieved complete
Participatory Irrigation Movement. Mr Kiran Kumar
Reddy said that the State have achieved the Water
use efficiency standards of 11th plan and highest
coverage of micro irrigation in the country.
The Chief Minister said that Andhra Pradesh have
launched Agriculture Technology Mission six years
ago and the Mission has started yielding big gains
in Primary sector especially in Rice,
horticulture, livestock and fisheries sectors. For
rainfed areas and fallow lands big efforts have
been initiated. He said that Andhra Pradesh was
the pioneer to launch Rajiv Udyogsri which is
aligned with the National Skill Development
movement to cover 50 crore people by 2022 and
would cover 8-10 million youth. So far more than
1.1 million youth have been trained under the
Mission. He said under MGNREGS the project
completion rate has gone up to 65% and convergence
with 8 Departments is planned. Because of the
efforts under water harvesting, the number of over
exploited habitations and sub basins has come down
by more than 50% in last three years and11 lakh
acres of fallow lands are proposed to be developed
this year.
May.2011
