CS: Aim for more Central schemes and funds for AP

Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad has emphasised to officials that numerous Centrally-Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are currently being implemented in the State and must be expedited to secure additional schemes and funding from the Centre. On Tuesday, he conducted a review of the CSS with officials from the Health, Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Municipal Administration, Housing, and Finance Departments at the State Secretariat.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary noted that timely completion of CSS as per the specified deadlines will enhance the state’s chances of obtaining more schemes and funding. He stressed the importance of addressing the challenges faced in the implementation of existing schemes, urging officials to progress without delay and actively pursue more funds from the Centre. He instructed Aggarwal, the Resident Commissioner at Delhi’s AP Bhawan, along with the relevant secretaries, to take necessary actions regarding schemes introduced by the Centre.
With the aqua sector contributing to three-quarters of the state’s GDP, the Chief Secretary urged department officials to implement measures to attract additional funds and schemes. He suggested that all data related to fish and shrimp ponds should be fully digitized, appropriate laboratories should be established for testing, and steps must be taken to promote the export of quality aqua products from the state. He recommended efforts to secure adequate funding through NABARD and MPEDA.
Chief Secretary Prasad also advised officials to formulate a plan for the Backward Area Development of Rayalaseema and North Andhra districts, as there is potential for obtaining funds from the Centre for the development of these areas.
While discussing CSS related to the Primary Medical and Health Department, Special Chief Secretary MT Krishnababu stated that under the Prime Minister’s Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), ?367 crore has been allocated over five years to enhance medical infrastructure, including increasing bed capacity and establishing critical care blocks in various government medical colleges. Additionally, under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, a plan is in place to provide ?5,000 to pregnant women.
AP Tidco Housing Special Chief Secretary Anil Kumar Singhar outlined that the Tidco Housing scheme, valued at ?21,377 crore, comprises a central share of ?3,924 crore, a state government share of ?8,595 crore, and a beneficiaries’ share of ?8,856 crore. Works worth ?16,900 crore have been completed, while ?7,000 crore worth of work remains pending.
Special Chief Secretary for Agriculture B Raja Sekhar noted that under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, eight schemes with a budget of ?737 crore are being implemented in the Agriculture Department, with ?442 crore funded by the Centre and ?295 crore by the State Government.