The Chief Minister maintained that there was no shortage of urea stocks but directed officials to plan procurement and supply in advance. He ordered an immediate study into rising cancer cases in East Godavari’s Bhalabadrapuram, reportedly linked to excessive fertiliser use.
Published Sep 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM
The two-day collectors’ conference began on Monday.
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday announced an incentive of ₹800 per urea bag saved for farmers under the Centre’s PM-PRANAM scheme, while warning against excessive fertiliser use. He further announced a series of welfare and growth measures at the two-day collectors’ conference in Amaravati, covering agriculture, aquaculture, industry and governance.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced a series of measures covering agriculture, aquaculture, industry and governance at the two-day collectors’ conference which began at the Secretariat in Amaravati on Monday, September 15.
The deliberations focused on balancing welfare with growth and protecting farmers’ interests.
In a major initiative to tackle health hazards and address urea shortages caused by logistical issues, Naidu announced that farmers who reduce urea usage will receive an incentive of ₹800 per bag saved under the Centre’s PM-PRANAM scheme.
The amount will be directly transferred to beneficiaries. Warning against indiscriminate fertiliser use, he said it was contributing to rising cancer cases, citing Punjab as a cautionary example and pointing out that Andhra Pradesh ranks fifth in the country in cancer prevalence.
The Chief Minister maintained that there was no shortage of urea stocks but directed officials to plan procurement and supply in advance. He ordered an immediate study into rising cancer cases in East Godavari’s Bhalabadrapuram, reportedly linked to excessive fertiliser use.
The Chief minister also listed measures to protect farmers’ earnings. These included procurement of 20 million kg of HD Burley tobacco, a subsidy of ₹4 per kg with an outlay of ₹200 crore, and procurement of onions at ₹1,200 per quintal.
He stressed the need to guide farmers towards crops with strong market demand and noted that Rayalaseema had overtaken Konaseema in per capita income through horticulture.
Reassuring aqua farmers facing difficulties, he said power would be supplied at ₹1.50 per unit for aquaculture spread across five lakh acres, with farmers required to register within a month to avail subsidies.
He called for mandatory traceability certification of aqua products and strict checks on tank pollution from poultry waste. Animal hostels are to be set up in 157 constituencies to boost the dairy sector, which has been recording the fastest growth rate in agriculture.
Industries Secretary Dr N Yuvraj briefed the Chief Minister on five major defence and aerospace clusters coming up in the state across more than 18,000 acres. These are:
Dr Yuvraj said the industrial sector contributes 44 percent to the state GSDP. Since June 2024, Andhra Pradesh has approved 122 projects worth over ₹10.06 lakh crore, with one lakh acres earmarked for clusters.
The Centre has cleared more than 50 projects linked to Andhra Pradesh’s industrial growth in the past year. Collectors were told to expedite land pooling and extend full support to investors.
Naidu urged collectors to step out of offices and prioritise field visits to understand ground realities. He emphasised that officials must prove efficiency through performance and ensure last-mile delivery of welfare.
Highlighting the success of the Stree Sakthi free bus travel scheme for women and transgender women launched a month ago, the Chief Minister said it has boosted mobility, energy levels and economic participation.
“If women’s empowerment is fully realised, growth rates will automatically increase,” he said.
Naidu also reviewed governance priorities. These included strict accountability in welfare scheme implementation, preventing tampering in land registrations, focus on human resources, Swachh Bharat initiatives, a circular economy and achieving a “healthy, wealthy and happy state” with ease of living.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh had achieved a 10.5 percent growth rate and set a target of 15 percent. He urged collectors to treat the Swarnandhra Vision 2047 as a guiding framework, likening it to a “Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran” for development.
Calling for synergy between elected representatives and district officials, he said both must share responsibility for meeting public expectations. He cautioned against complacency, stressing that Andhra Pradesh’s progress depends on effective collaboration.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
