Government could increase farmers’ income, says CM

The State government had been achieving double-digit growth for the last four years continuously improving the economy. It achieved 11.22% in 2017-18 from 9.2% in 2014-15 against the all-India rate of only 7.3%. The State economy was ₹4.64 lakh crore in 2014-15 and touched ₹8.04 lakh crore in 2017-18, a net increase of ₹3.4 lakh crore, said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday.

Mr. Naidu told a press conference here that the Per Capita Income (PCI) had increased by 71% during the last four years and stood at ₹1,42,054 during 2017-18 from ₹82,870 in 2013-14. Still the PCI was the lowest among the southern States The PCI of Telangana was ₹1.81 lakh; ₹181 lakh (Karnataka) and ₹1.80 lakh (Kerala). The growth of the PCI was 14.87% compared to the all India rate of 8.56%, he said.

Referring to the growth in the second quarter of this fiscal, Mr Naidu said the Gross Value Added (GVA) was 11.15% against India’s 6.9%. The GVA during the first quarter was also 11.25% as against 8.0% of all India. The GVA of agriculture and allied sectors was 17.18% (all India 3.8%); the industry sector registered 9.68% compared to the national average of 6.8% the service sector registered 9.17% compared to7.5% of national average, he said.

The Modi government promised to double the farmers’ income. But the reality was far from the promise. The State government could significantly increase the farmers' income. The agriculture and allied sector economy significantly increased from ₹1.28 lakh during 2013-14 to ₹2.53lakh crore during 2017-18. The net increase was ₹1.25 lakh crore, almost double-97% in four years, he said. “We are striving to develop the State. The government is striking a balance between development and welfare.”

Basic infra

The State government was working on an approach of saturation of basic infrastructure in rural and urban areas, welfare through direct benefit transfer model and welfare through service delivery. It identified 10 most important strategies for pushing the growth further and working on quality of life, ease of living and happiness, he added.