Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday announced that the TDP-led NDA government has spent over ₹51,000 crore on welfare pensions in the past 18 months.
Addressing a public meeting at Unguturu village in Eluru district during the distribution of NTR Bharosa pensions, Naidu projected that the state will spend an enormous ₹1.6 lakh crore on the scheme over the next five years, averaging ₹33,000 crore annually.
"On pensions alone, in 18 months, we spent ₹50,763 crore. Nobody in the country is extending welfare at this scale," he claimed, adding that 63 lakh people are benefiting under various categories, with women accounting for 59 per cent of the beneficiaries. The government’s website confirms that the NTR Bharosa pension scheme provides monthly financial support for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and transgender persons.
Referring to the Stree Shakti free bus travel scheme for women, the Chief Minister said that 25 crore free journeys have been availed so far. He noted that the government has paid ₹855 crore to the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation to fund the scheme.
Naidu promised to complete the Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Project to ensure water for farmers, while also advising them to cultivate demand-driven crops and adopt drone technology to reduce input costs. Noting that Eluru district grows high-value crops such as cocoa, coconut, and coffee, he said it has strong potential to attract food processing industries.
The Chief Minister reiterated the government's commitment to completing the crucial Polavaram project before the Godavari Pushkaralu festival in 2027, fulfilling a long-standing public demand. He added that the government is simultaneously working toward the Swarna Andhra-2047 vision to propel the state to a leading position in the country.
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