Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu emphasized his government’s commitment to keeping promises by launching the ambitious ‘Talliki Vandanam’ scheme on Thursday. Under this initiative, ₹10,091 crore has been earmarked to support 67 lakh students this year, with ₹1,346 crore specifically allocated for improving school infrastructure.
Speaking to the media alongside Education Minister Nara Lokesh at his residence in Undavalli, Naidu framed the scheme as part of his administration’s “Super-6” guarantees to the public. He also drew a direct comparison with the previous Amma Vodi scheme, highlighting that while the earlier government supported 42.6 lakh beneficiaries with ₹5,540 crore annually, the new administration is covering an additional 24.65 lakh students, raising the annual spend to ₹8,745 crore.
“We are fulfilling promises, even if the situation is tough. The welfare of children and their mothers is at the heart of our governance model,” Naidu stated.
Supporting Larger Families, Addressing Population Trends
Naidu noted that the scheme would support every child in a family, even if there are four children. “There are over 20,000 mothers with four children. All 80,212 of these children will benefit. This is not just welfare; it’s strategic,” he explained.
Linking the policy to broader demographic concerns, Naidu cited global trends such as Japan’s declining population. “India’s fertility rate is now 1.9, and Andhra Pradesh’s is even lower at 1.5. Population balance is crucial for the future. Many hesitate to have children due to economic worries. We’re addressing that directly.”
Sharp Contrasts with Previous Government
Naidu took a critical stance against the previous YSRCP government, claiming mismanagement and lack of vision.
- Welfare Spending: “We’re spending ₹12,370 crore more than the previous regime under NTR Bharosa,” he said.
- Farmer Support: “They gave ₹7,500 per year. We provide ₹14,000 — ₹20,000 when you include central support.”
- Deepam Scheme: “Three LPG cylinders are provided free each year. They didn’t offer this.”
- Fishermen Aid: “We gave ₹259 crore to over 1.29 lakh fishermen; they gave only ₹109 crore.”
- Timely Salaries: “Government employees now receive salaries on time, unlike before.”
- Revived Schemes: “We’ve restored 94 central schemes that were neglected.”
- Anna Canteens: “204 canteens reopened, serving 4 crore meals to over 2 crore people.”
- Temple Services: “Anna Prasadam is served daily in 21 temples across the state.”
Development and Industrial Investment
Naidu pointed to the government’s proactive industrial approach, revealing that agreements worth ₹9.5 lakh crore have been signed, potentially generating 8.5 lakh jobs. “We aim to create 20 lakh jobs, and many investments are already in progress,” he added.
He also took aim at YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of irresponsibility during a public appearance in Podili. “He even justified derogatory remarks about Amaravati on live TV. Such behavior and rowdyism won’t be tolerated,” Naidu asserted.
DSC Legal Battles Cleared
Education Minister Nara Lokesh highlighted the legal hurdles cleared to enable the Mega DSC (District Selection Committee) recruitment. “YSRCP filed 24 cases to block teacher appointments, but the Supreme Court dismissed the last one yesterday. All barriers to filling 16,347 teacher posts have been removed,” he confirmed. He also noted that Andhra Pradesh had attracted 16% of all Indian-origin investments in the country this year.
Friendly Banter Over Implementation Roles
In a lighter moment, Naidu officially handed over the JV (Joint Venture document) for the Talliki Vandanam scheme to Lokesh. When Lokesh joked that the CM should be handed the JV instead, Naidu replied: “We’re giving the money; you’re just implementing it.”
He concluded by urging education officials to ensure that financial assistance translates into real learning outcomes. “We must nurture talent and turn Andhra Pradesh into a global knowledge hub,” he said.
