AP Government committed for welfare of backward classes: Naidu

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said his government was committed to the welfare of Backward Classes (BCs) in the state and has taken up several programmes for their benefit.

The TDP-BJP government has allocated a hefty sum of Rs 8,832 crore in the current fiscal to take up welfare programmes for the uplift of BCs, he said here.

This shows the government's commitment for the wellbeing of deprived sections of society, the Chief Minister maintained.

He was speaking at a function organised by the state government to celebrate legendary social reformer Jyotiba Phule's 190th birth anniversary.

Naidu said the state was establishing constituency-wise industrial clusters to help the youth from BCs become entrepreneurs.

At present, the State has 175 Assembly constituencies and the number will go up to 225 in future. He stated the Government has allocated 100 acres in the heart of Visakhapatnam to build a 'health city'.

Naidu said he had urged Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya to enhance the number of beds in the proposed super-speciality ESI Hospital in the city from 300 to 500, and the latter has agreed to do so.

He said the Centre has decided to establishment ESI hospitals in Vizianagaram district and Kakinada in East Godavari district. Speaking on the occasion, Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah naidu said the Centre has launched a health insurance Scheme for the poor in the country.

PTI