- V.V. Manikyala Rao

          The Telugu people played a prominent role in our freedom Struggle under the leadership of such stalwarts like Andhra Kesari Tanguturi Prakasam, Desoddharaka Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao, Andhra Ratna Duggirala Gopala Krishnaiah, Desabhaktha Konda Venkatappaiah, Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramaiah, Maharshi Bulusu Samba Murthy, Acharya N.G. Ranga etc., Many thousands courted imprisonment and made a great sacrifices in the cause of national freedom. In fact, Gandhiji's no-tax campaign had its beginning in Guntur district. The salt satyagraha in Telugu areas, Andhra Kesari's heroic role during the boycott of the Simon commission and the like will remain as glorious chapters in the saga of our freedom struggle.

           Along with the fight for national liberation Telugu people also strove to carve out a State of their own in Independent India on the basis of their own in independent India on the basis of language. The National Congress recognized the justice in the demand for linguistic reorganization of the State even while the freedom struggle was on.

           After Independence, due to pre-occupation with other tasks facing the nation, the Government at the Centre could not pay the necessary attention to the question of linguistic re-organisation of the States. The great sacrifice made by Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu resulted in the formation of Andhra State in 1953. It was carved out of the Circars and Rayalaseema districts of the then composite State of Madras.

           In the Hyderabad State, under the feudel rule of the Nizam, a valiant struggle was put up by such eminent leaders like Swami Ramananda Thirtha, Madapati Hanumantha Rao, Ravi Narayana Reddy, K.V. Ranga Reddy and Burgula Rama Krishna Rao for the integration of the State with the Indian Union. These leaders, with the whole-hearted backing and co-operation of the masses, were able to achieve their objective and Hyderabad State was fully integrated with the Indian Union after the Police action.

Along with the struggle for integration of the Nizam State with the Indian Union, these leaders had also voiced their demand for a unified State for all the Telugu people. In this respect, the role played by the Andhra Maha Sabha in the then Nizam's dominions would be cherished for long.

           The dreams of the Telugu people for Visalandhra were realised on November 1, 1956 with the formation of Andhra Pradesh. The historical city of Hyderabad became the capital of this State.

           Even in the first decade after independence, the foundation for the prosperity of the Telugu people were laid. Nearly a century after sir Arthur Cotton made the first attempt to utilize river waters for agricultural purposes, giant multipurpose projects began to take shape on the mighty rivers Krishna and Godavari, in the shape of Nagarjunasagar, Srisailam and Pochampad projects. These multipurpose projects help not only in bringing more land under the plough but also in generating power needed both for farms and factories.

           Andhra Pradesh has made commendable progress in the field of agriculture over the past two and a half decades. The giant irrigation projects, along with the medium and minor irrigation sources, have helped in increasing irrigation potential from 28.6 lakh hectares in 1956 to 36.55 lakh hectares two years back. An all time record in food production of 107 lakh tones was registered in 1978-79 as against a mere 59 lakh tones at the time of the formation of the State. In rice production the State is second only to West Bengal, accounting for 74 lakh tones. The State occupies the third place in the country in total food grains production, contributing more than one million tones to the Central Pool annually. Among commercial crops, Andhra Pradesh contributes 95 Percent of Virginia tobacco exported from the country. The other commercial crops of the State include Chillies, Sugarcane, turmeric, cotton and groundnut.

           Power generation is vital for both farm and factory. Andhra Pradesh did not lag behind in this sector. A number of power projects were commissioned since the formation of the State. The most prominent among them are Machkhand, Upper Sileru, Lower Sileru, Tungabhadra and Nagarjunasagar (all hydel schemes), Kothagudem, Ramgundam, Nellore and Ibrahimpatnam (Thermal stations).

           The installed capacity of at the beginning of the first five year plan was only 43.1 MVV which went up to 668 MVV in 1978 and 2130 at present. The number of villages electrified increased from 14,851 in 1978 to 17,200 at present.

           Two super thermal stations at Ramagundam and Bhadrachalam were approved by the Central Government and work on the Ramagundam station has already commenced.

           Industrially the State remained comparatively backward until the third five year plan. Since then, several measures were taken by the State Government for stimulating the growth of industries. Development Corporations were specially set up for promoting large, medium and small scale industries, mineral exploitation, agro-industries and leather –based industries. Industrial infrastructure Corporation was set up to provide necessary infrastructure for industries in rural, urban and semi-urban areas.

           There are at present 329 medium and large scale industries in Andhra Pradesh, including 16 Central Sector undertakings and 7 State-managed undertakings. The aggregate outlay on these industries is Rs. 1523 crores and they are providing employment to 2.93 lakh people . This is in contrast to the position in 1956 with only 45 major industries with an outlay of Rs 63 crores. The number of small scale industries in the same period almost doubled from 1229 and providing employment to 2.53 lakh persons. The various incentives offered by the State Government have attracted entrepreneurs from other States and an impressive out lay of Rs.6.000 crores is in the pipeline for the setting up of major industries in the State. The prestigious Visakhapatnam steel plant is taking shape. The Railway carriage repair plant being set up at Tirupati will provide employment to many in the districts of Rayalaseema. The fertilizer plant at Kakinada and the alumina plant at Visakhapatnam will become realities in the near future.

           Land reforms have been implemented in Andhra Pradesh with Vigour and determination. Till now an extent of 2.18 lakh acres of surplus land was distributed to about 2.16 lakh beneficiaries, most of them belonging to weaker sections. The remaining surplus land of 8.35 lakh acres will be taken over after the disposal of legal disputes and distributed to the land less poor.

           Besides distribution of surplus land under land reforms implementation, a crash programme was undertaken for the allocation of Government waste lands. So far 21.88 lakh acres of such land has been assigned to the landless poor. The Government helped in the establishment of more than 2.000 cooperative joint and collective farming societies to aid the owners of the surplus lands to bring those lands under cultivation. The societies have a membership exceeding one lakh and an extent of 3.14 lakh acres. Already, 2.53 lakh acres have been developed and brought under cultivation.

           Andhra Pradesh made great headway in providing subsidiary occupations to those depending on agriculture for their livelihood. Dairy industry in the State marched from success to success and the Corporation set up for the development of this rural industry has done much to help farming community. The State is now poised for a real take-off in dairying. Operation Flood 11 with an investment of Rs. 40 Crores envisages increase of the present production of 38 lakh litres of milk a day to 59 lakh litres by 1984-85.

           An integrated marine fisheries projects with an outlay of Rs. 31. 36 crores with World bank assistance is being implemented. Under this project, fishing harbours will be developed at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Nizampatnam. Another fishing harbor at Bhavanampad in Srikakulam district has been approved by the Centre recently.

           Andhra Pradesh has been one among the few States in the country that have set up separate corporations for the economic uplift of the weaker sections along with the welfare of women. The three corporations set up for the welfare of the Scheduled castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Backward Classes have so far implemented economic upliftment schemes worth about Rs. 30 crores benefiting more than two lakh families belonging to these sections. The Planning Commission commended the example set by Andhra Pradesh in women welfare.

           Special attention was paid to the provision of housing facilities to the poor and weaker sections who were allotted house sites. The Weaker Sections Housing Programme , under its Sites and Services scheme, not only helps the beneficiaries to build houses but also provides civic amenities like street lights, drinking water, roads and power supply to houses. This year it is proposed to build 50.000 houses at a cost of Rs. 25 crores.

           Andhra Pradesh has made great progress in other fields like education, health and medical facilities, rural water supply, communications etc., With the good foundation laid over the past quarter century, the people of the State can look forward to a bright future. The first inguistic State in the country, Andhra Pradesh, the home of about five crore Telugu people, has many firsts to its credit and is sure to become one of the most developed States in the country in the near future.