Nellore, May 19: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday announced a series of welfare and infrastructure measures for fishermen communities, including financial assistance during the annual fishing ban period, subsidised mechanised boats and promotion of seaweed cultivation for coastal women.

Participating in the “Matsyakarula Sevalo” programme at Tummalapenta village in Kavali constituency of Nellore district, the Chief Minister released ₹261.50 crore as financial assistance to 1,30,796 fishermen families. Under the scheme, each eligible family received ₹20,000 directly into their bank accounts.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Naidu said the government was committed to safeguarding the livelihood interests of fishermen and ensuring their participation in coastal development. He asserted that the State would strengthen coastal surveillance and prevent intrusion by fishing boats from neighbouring States into Andhra Pradesh waters.

The Chief Minister announced that 200 mechanised fishing boats would be sanctioned with 60% subsidy support, while the remaining cost would be covered through bank loans. He said the government was already extending diesel subsidy assistance to mechanised and motorised fishing boats.

Highlighting infrastructure development in the fisheries sector, Mr. Naidu said the State was constructing nine fishing harbours and eight fish landing centres with an estimated investment of ₹3,256 crore.

He also announced a seaweed cultivation initiative aimed at generating additional livelihood opportunities for fisherwomen and women self-help groups. A training programme for seaweed cultivation was launched with support from Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute.

The Chief Minister said fishermen would continue to enjoy exclusive rights for fish cultivation and marketing in reservoirs and inland water bodies across the State. He also assured support for improving market access for fisheries products.

During his visit, Mr. Naidu inspected coastal surveillance systems, including drone-based monitoring and GPS-enabled tracking systems intended to improve fishermen safety and curb illegal intrusion into Andhra Pradesh coastal waters.

He further announced infrastructure works including road connectivity for 25 fishermen villages in the region and desilting works for the North Buckingham Canal.

Ministers Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Atchannaidu and Farooq, along with other public representatives, participated in the programme.

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh BJP president PVN Madhav expressed concern over the mounting financial burden on aqua farmers due to rising fuel prices triggered by global geopolitical tensions.

Participating in the “Cheruvula Parirakshana” and “Janata Varadhi” programmes, Mr. Madhav said international political developments, particularly tensions between Iran and the United States, had impacted the global economy and led to an increase in crude oil prices, thereby pushing up domestic fuel costs.

He observed that the aquaculture sector was heavily dependent on fuel for the operation of motors, aerators, transportation and feed supply, resulting in a sharp rise in operational expenditure for farmers. The increase in production costs, coupled with export slowdown and market instability, was placing severe pressure on the sector, he said.

Mr. Madhav stated that small and medium-scale aqua farmers were facing significant economic stress under the prevailing conditions. He assured that the Bharatiya Janata Party would take the concerns of aqua farmers to the attention of both the Union and State governments and seek measures such as diesel subsidy, electricity concessions, financial assistance and restructuring of loans.

Highlighting the importance of the aquaculture sector to Andhra Pradesh’s economy, he said the industry provided livelihoods to thousands of families and required sustained policy support from governments.

Mr. Madhav said aqua farmers need not lose confidence, adding that the BJP remained committed to supporting the sector and addressing the issues affecting farmers.

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a leading State in the country in the digitisation of patient health records under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), outpacing neighbouring States across multiple key parameters of the Next Generation e-Hospital Hospital Management Information System (HMIS), according to senior officials of the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

AMARAVATI, APRIL 24: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will receive the prestigious Business Reformer of the Year 2025 award announced by leading media organization The Economic Times at Mumbai today. 
As per schedule the Chief Minister will land at Mumbai airport at 2:40 p.m on Saturday. Later, he will proceed to the venue, Jio World Convention Centre at 5:25 p.m and participate in the awards ceremony hosted by The Economic Times. The award presentation ceremony will take place between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM tomorrow evening. The Economic Times will present the honour to the Chief Minister in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and leading industrialists.
Chandrababu Naidu has been selected for the award in recognition of implementing transformative initiatives such as Speed of Doing Business and Speed of Delivering Governance in Andhra Pradesh.
Eminent personalities such as Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal, Nitish Kumar, Ashwini Vaishnaw and S. Jaishankar have received the Business Reformer of the Year award in the past.
The jury of The Economic Times appreciated Chandrababu Naidu’s role in creating an investment-friendly ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh, introducing revolutionary industrial policies and driving investor confidence.
Within a short period after the coalition government assumed office, Andhra Pradesh has reportedly attracted investment commitments exceeding Rs 20 lakh crore. The Chief Minister has also been recognised for simplifying industrial approvals and pursuing reforms aimed at making Andhra Pradesh a leader in technology, innovation, IT, electronics and green energy sectors.
Drawing from his earlier experience of transforming Hyderabad into an IT hub during his tenure as Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu is now playing a key role in developing Amaravati and Visakhapatnam into major economic centres.
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AMARAVATI, APRIL 24: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to strengthen the agriculture sector  to ensure  higher income for farmers. He stressed the need to educate farmers on cultivating market-demand crops and guide them on the most profitable options.
The Chief Minister said agricultural lands should remain productive throughout the year, encouraging farmers to  cultivate multiple crops to ensure continuous income. 
Reviewing on agriculture sector at camp office today, the Chief Minister instructed officials to enable certification-based marketing of produce grown under natural farming, which would help farmers secure premium prices. Referring to the decline in urea usage per hectare during the last Rabi season, the Chief Minister termed it a positive development.
He asked officials to develop a system for doorstep delivery of produce from Rythu Bazaars by engaging suitable agencies. He further called for a cluster-based development plan to transform Rayalaseema into a global horticulture hub.
The Chief Minister said the state is planning the world’s first dedicated Cocoa City, which should serve as an experience centre for progressive farmers. He directed officials to identify a suitable location for the 250-acre project.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to study ways to expand saffron cultivation in the Araku Agency area and improve quality yields. Under the AP Mushroom Mission 2026–2031, he set a target of producing one lakh metric tonnes annually.
Officials informed the CM that apples being cultivated experimentally in Anantapur are tasty and climate conditions are favourable. He directed them to scientifically study the region and expand the cultivation.He also instructed officials to focus on increasing cultivation of avocado, fig, jackfruit, guava and pepper. Fruits like figs should be processed into dry fruit products to enhance value.
The Chief Minister ordered preparation of an action plan to expand horticulture cultivation to 50 lakh acres across the state. He also said BPL farmer families should be supported with dairy and livestock-based supplementary income opportunities, with government-backed assistance plans.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that a statewide crop survey is underway, documenting crops under cultivation and available water resources.
They said the Farmer App now includes comprehensive details such as farmers’ profiles, land extent, soil test data, usage of urea, pesticides and seeds, benefits received under government schemes, groundwater availability and nearby water resources.
The app also provides crop-specific weather forecasts and input requirements such as fertilizers and seeds.
Officials said over 8 lakh farmers have registered on the Farmer App so far. The Chief Minister noted that beyond registrations, effective usage and actual benefits to farmers are more important.
Officials also said awareness campaigns under Rythanna Meekosam reached 48.73 lakh farmer families in Phase 1 and 46.21 lakh farmer families in Phase 2 through a five-point outreach programme.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that southwest monsoon rainfall this year may be below normal at around 92 percent of average levels.They said that El Niño may severely affect rainfed regions, especially Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai, Kadapa, Kurnool and Prakasam districts leading to reduced rainfall which  may impact pulses, oilseeds and water-dependent horticulture crops.As a mitigation measure, officials said the state is implementing PMDS (Pre-Monsoon Dry Sowing), under which seeds are sown before the onset of rains.
They said the system improves yields while reducing cultivation costs, fertilizer usage and water consumption, enabling farmers to earn an additional Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 per acre.
The Chief Minister directed officials to implement PMDS in 20 lakh acres this year and explore integrating it with VBG Ramji initiatives.
Officials said that in 2025–26, natural farming was taken up in 9.26 lakh hectares by 17.74 lakh farmers across 4,116 gram panchayats.For 2026–27, the Chief Minister set an ambitious target to expand natural farming to all 13,300 gram panchayats, covering 25 lakh farmers and 11 lakh hectares.
Officials explained the RSK Intelligence Hub Dashboard, designed to monitor the functioning of Rythu Bharosa Kendras and agriculture sector performance across the state.
The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure real-time updates and accurate data on the dashboard.

అమరావతి (జర్నలిస్ట్ ఫైల్): అవసరమైన విద్యార్హతలతో, నిబంధనల ప్రకారం ఉపాధ్యాయ ఉద్యోగాలు పొంది సర్వీస్‌లో కొనసాగుతున్న ఉపాధ్యాయులకు టెట్‌ పరీక్ష ఉత్తీర్ణత నుండి మినహాయింపు ఇవ్వాలని సెకండరీ గ్రేడ్ టీచర్స్ ఫెడరేషన్ (ఎస్‌.జీ.టి.ఎఫ్‌) రాష్ట్ర ఉపాధ్యక్షులు కొక్కెరగడ్డ సత్యం ప్రభుత్వాన్ని కోరారు.

ఒక ప్రకటనలో ఆయన మాట్లాడుతూ, విద్యా హక్కు చట్టం–2010 ప్రకారం కొత్తగా నియమించబడే ఉపాధ్యాయులకు టెట్‌ అర్హత తప్పనిసరి చేసినప్పటికీ, ఇప్పటికే విధివిధానాల ప్రకారం నియమించబడి సేవలందిస్తున్న ఉపాధ్యాయులపై అదే నిబంధనను అమలు చేయడం అన్యాయం అవుతుందని పేర్కొన్నారు.

ఇటీవల సుప్రీంకోర్టు సివిల్ అప్పీల్ నంబర్‌ 1385/2025లో, సెప్టెంబర్‌ 1న ఇచ్చిన తీర్పు ప్రకారం, ఐదు సంవత్సరాల సర్వీస్‌ మాత్రమే మిగిలినవారిని తప్ప మిగతా ఇన్‌ సర్వీస్‌ ఉపాధ్యాయులు 2027 ఆగస్టు 31లోపు టెట్‌ పరీక్షలో ఉత్తీర్ణులు కావాల్సిన అవసరం ఉందని పేర్కొంది. లేనిపక్షంలో ఉద్యోగం కోల్పోయే పరిస్థితులు తలెత్తవచ్చని ఆయన తెలిపారు.

దేశవ్యాప్తంగా దాదాపు 25 లక్షల ఇన్‌సర్వీస్‌ ఉపాధ్యాయులు ఈ తీర్పుతో తీవ్ర ఆందోళనకు గురవుతున్నారని, వారిలో భయాందోళనలు నెలకొన్నాయని చెప్పారు. రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వం తక్షణమే ఈ అంశంపై స్పందించి, అవసరమైన చర్యలు తీసుకోవాలని, ఇన్‌సర్వీస్‌ ఉపాధ్యాయులను టెట్‌ ఉత్తీర్ణత నుండి మినహాయించే దిశగా సుప్రీంకోర్టులో రివ్యూ పిటిషన్‌ దాఖలు చేయాలని ఆయన డిమాండ్‌ చేశారు.