My vision is to make Andhra Pradesh zero-poverty state: CM Naidu

Tirupati, June 13 - Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu asserted on Thursday that his vision was to make Andhra Pradesh a zero-poverty state.

After offering prayers at Tirumala temple, he told media persons that he would make every effort to create wealth and ensure its distribution among the poor.

“I want to see the Indian community on top in the world and 35 per cent of Telugu in the Indian community as number one. We should work for a zero-poverty nation, zero-poverty state and zero-poverty district,” he said.

Naidu, who took oath as the Chief Minister on Wednesday, said he prayed for the prosperity of the state and all Telugu people.

Underlining the need to remove economic inequalities, he said this was possible only through government policies.

He recalled the initiatives taken by him as the Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh in this direction. “CBN 1.0 started in 1995. We took governance, which was limited to the Secretariat, to the doorsteps of people. There was development and everyone has seen its results. World leaders came to Hyderabad. I did not invite them. They came on their own. They come wherever good work is done,” he said.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) termed the family system as the biggest asset of the country. “The family recharges your energy, gives you security and happiness. The family system of India is a model for the entire world,” he said and mentioned that family proved to be his biggest support when he was in jail.

CM Naidu, who is set to assume charge as the Chief Minister on Thursday evening, made it clear that there would be no witch-hunting but those who have done wrong will be punished as per law.

He remarked that God has also ordained to protect good and punish evil.

CM Naidu, who led the NDA to a landslide victory, termed it a historic mandate. “We have never seen such a huge public mandate. The strike rate of 93 per cent never happened in the state or the country’s history,” he claimed.

Recalling his attachment to the Tirumala temple since his early days, he said it was the blessings of the Lord that he came up in life to become the Chief Minister and play a key role in national politics.

Referring to the failed assassination attempt by Maoists near the same temple in 2003, he said the Lord saved him from claymore mines. “No one would have survived. He saved me so that I serve the state and the people,” he said.

The TDP supremo said he prays to Venkateswara Swamy every morning to seek blessings.

He alleged that the previous government tried to damage the sanctity of Tirumala and remarked that while other gods punish sinners after death, Venkateswara Swamy punishes in this life.

--IANS