Surampalli (Andhra Pradesh), March 13 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu assured people on Friday that the central and state governments would come to their aid amid the ongoing cooking gas crisis in light of the Middle East conflict.
Addressing a village meeting in Surampalli in Krishna district, the chief minister noted that a sub-committee has been formed to regularly monitor the availability of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
"There is a problem with LPG supply, but there is no need to panic. The central and state governments will completely assist you (people)," Naidu said.
Further reflecting on the US-Israel and Iran war, the CM observed that it has disrupted logistics everywhere and reminded that bananas grown in Rayalaseema used to be exported to Dubai and Gulf countries. Also, eggs from the southern state used to be exported to the Gulf and foreign countries.
Hinting at the alleged Tirupati laddu ghee adulteration case, the TDP supremo accused the previous YSRCP government of defiling Sri Venkateswara Swamy.
Further, he alleged that the YSRCP leaders approached the Supreme Court for a gag order on the laddu issue after "defiling it with adulterated ghee."
According to the CM, the state was mired in debts during the previous YSRCP government, which allegedly repelled investors and hurt the state's brand. However, in the past 20 months, the TDP-led NDA government has moved forward step by step and solved the problems, he added.
To empower farmers, the CM said 25,187 of them were supplied with agricultural tools, and called on farmers to go for an early kharif by May 15.
Further, the CM promised to complete the Polavaram irrigation project before Godavari Pushkaralu (Kumbh Mela-like pilgrimage) in 2027.
Naidu promised to set up a cocoa city on 500 acres in Eluru district, among other initiatives.
Following his address, Naidu disbursed over Rs 2,500 crore to nearly 47 lakh farmers as part of the Annadata Sukhibahva-PM Kishan welfare scheme, which offers Rs 20,000 per annum financial aid to farmers.
The chief minister disbursed Rs 6,000 each to nearly 47 lakh farmers under the third tranche of this welfare scheme promised during the 2024 polls at a public meeting at Surampalli.
Out of Rs 2,676 crore, the southern state contributed Rs 1,874 crore.
Until now, Rs 14,000 has been credited to farmers in two tranches and including today's disbursement of Rs 6,000, the promise of Rs 20,000 will be fulfilled, a release said.