From Our Correspondent
Rayachoti: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday announced that every poor household in Andhra Pradesh will have its own home by 2029. He said 5.9 lakh houses would be handed over on Ugadi next year and the identification of all houseless poor will be completed by December 1.
Speaking at a mass housewarming ceremony at Devagudipalle in Annamaiah district, where he virtually inaugurated three lakh houses across the state, Naidu said the coalition government was committed to fulfilling the housing dream of the poor. He personally handed over house keys to several beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister accused the previous government of sabotaging housing schemes, cancelling 4.73 lakh houses, and leaving ₹900 crore in bills pending for 2.73 lakh beneficiaries. “We completed three lakh houses in 17 months despite severe financial constraints. This government stands for the poor, not for scams,” Naidu said.
He announced an additional grant of ₹50,000 for Muslim beneficiaries for house construction, besides existing top-ups—₹50,000 for BCs, ₹75,000 for SCs, and ₹1 lakh for STs and PVTGs. The scheme would benefit about 6 lakh people at an additional cost of ₹3,220 crore.
Naidu said the government was also providing water, power, roads, gas, internet, and solar connections to new housing colonies. “A house is not just four walls—it’s dignity, security, and stability for a family,” he said, recalling that N.T. Rama Rao had pioneered the pucca housing scheme in 1984.
The Chief Minister said good governance and development were possible only through stable administration. He lauded DWCRA women for repaying ₹50,000 crore in bank loans and said they would be encouraged as entrepreneurs.
Listing welfare measures, Naidu said the government had rolled out the “Deepam” scheme offering three free gas cylinders to women, pensions to eligible beneficiaries, “Thalliki Vandhanam”, and free bus travel for women. Recruitment for 16,347 teachers was completed under Mega DSC, and investment deals worth ₹10 lakh crore were signed in the past 17 months, creating employment opportunities for 20 lakh people.
Reaffirming his commitment to irrigation, Naidu said interlinking of rivers was his life’s mission. “Once the Ganga-Cauvery linkage is achieved, drought will be history,” he said, adding that with PM Narendra Modi’s support, Andhra Pradesh was moving toward “Swarna Andhra” by 2029.
Ministers Kolusu Parthasarathi, Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy, BC Janardhan Reddy, and senior housing officials attended the event.