Amaravati, April 29 – Andhra Pradesh Minister for Women and Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare, Gummadi Sandhya Rani, announced that since the present coalition government came to power, developmental works worth Rs. 1,300 crore have been initiated in tribal areas. Speaking to the media at the state secretariat on Tuesday, she detailed a wide range of ongoing and planned development schemes aimed at the upliftment of tribal communities.
Key Development Highlights:
Araku Coffee Promotion:
The government is taking steps to cultivate Araku coffee across 1 lakh acres, aiming to bring international recognition to the brand. Promotional stalls have already been set up at the Parliament building and the State Assembly, significantly increasing its visibility.
Road Infrastructure Development:
To eliminate the use of dollies (manual carriers) in remote areas, the government is investing Rs. 1,000 crore to provide all-weather roads in tribal regions.
Drinking Water Facilities:
Efforts are underway to provide clean drinking water to 1,600 tribal villages, and additional infrastructure development worth Rs. 156 crore is being implemented.
Anganwadi Centre Upgrades:
The state has filled 1,100 Anganwadi positions in the last ten months. Additionally, Rs. 53 crore is being spent to ensure nutritious food, drinking water, and sanitation facilities at these centres.
A total of 9,246 toilets and 11,403 drinking water units are being built with a budget of Rs. 52.68 crore.
Tribal Markets and Container Hospitals:
In a unique initiative, six tribal bazaars will be set up, one in each ITDA (Integrated Tribal Development Agency), with an outlay of Rs. 1 crore per bazaar, to promote tribal products and ensure better market access.
Moreover, every tribal assembly constituency will receive a mobile container hospital equipped with 65 types of medicines, aimed at delivering essential healthcare services to remote tribal populations.
Maternal and Child Health Focus:
The minister emphasized the state's priority on maternal and child welfare. Mini-Anganwadis are being upgraded into main Anganwadi centres with central assistance.
Special attention is being given to tribal pregnant women, with plans to establish 35 birth waiting halls at a cost of Rs. 10.5 crore.
The Mother and Child Hospitals have also been revived to ensure continued medical support.
To safeguard vulnerable women, 26 One-Stop Centres have been set up across all districts.
Recruitment Drive:
The government has filled 422 Anganwadi worker posts and 1,130 Anganwadi helper posts, bolstering child and maternal welfare delivery systems.
Efficient Coordination with Centre:
Minister Sandhya Rani criticized the previous administration for failing to submit Utilization Certificates (UCs) on time, which led to the withholding of central funds. In contrast, the current government has ensured seamless coordination with the central government, leading to increased funding.
Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan secured Rs. 550 crore in central funds for Araku and Paderu, enabling significant infrastructure projects in those constituencies.
Minister Rani reiterated the government's commitment to the holistic development of tribal regions by focusing on drinking and irrigation water, roads, education, and healthcare.
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