AP Economic Survey

Express News Service
Hyderabad, August 20:

  The latest AP Socio Economic Survey 2013-14 stated the bifurcation of united AP is a "third deep scar" on the hearts and sentiments of Telugus.
   The Survey which is released on Wednesday stated that: "The Telugu speaking people have witnessed a turbulent history of state demarcation and the current AP bifurcation episode is the third deep scar on their hearts and sentiments. The instability of political geography has repeatedly pushed the Telugu people away from the path of development and progress".

 AP is poised on an interesting juncture in the history as it tries to balance varied challenges that the bifurcation has created for the residuary state against the opportunities that establishment of a new system of governance creates in the new state, the Survey said.
 "The provisions made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 for the development of the State of AP signify tokenism and they cannot compensate the loss of opportunity for the people of AP due to the division of the state. Income generation, employment opportunities, health and educational institutions, R&D and training facilities and the social infrastructure are grossly inadequate in the new state for its survival. The decision to bifurcate the state without even finalising the capital city itself signifies as an epitome of irresponsibility," the Survey report said.
 The Survey further pointed that the United AP has been a revenue surplus state as far as non-plan revenue is concerned. Unfortunately, the division made the residuary AP a huge revenue deficit state on non-plan account. The state is not left with reasonable resources for a meaningful plan outlay. Since debt has been allocated on population ratio, servicing the debt is going to be burdensome.
"There are umpteen number of issues and challenges staring at the new State of AP," the Survey said.
LANDHOLDINGS: The gross area irrigated in the State decreased to 37.11 lakh hectares in 2012-13 from 39.21 lakh hectares in 2011-12. The net area irrigated in the state decreased to 28.01 lakh hectares in 2012-13 as against 31.05 lakh hectares in 2011-12 showing a decline of 9.8 per cent.
  The latest available data relates to 2010-11 on land holdings. The average size of land holdings in the state has marginally declined to 1.06 hectares during 2010-11 from 1.13 hectares in 2005-06. The number of holdings has increased from 72.16 lakh in 2005-06 to 76.21 lakh in 2010-11.

FOREST CONNECTIVITY: There is contiguous forest area starting from Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Reserve to Seshachalam forest passing through forests of Kadapa and Chittoor districts. All these areas have good Panther population with dense Prey base of Samber, Cheetal, Neelgai etc. But, over th years due to degradation of habitat, encroachments and other biotic pressures the wild animal population declined. It is essential to develop this corridor to enable the increasing tiger population in Nallamala to Seshachalam forest tracts as this area has the potential to support tiger population.

ends