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`Per capita income set for 9 pc increase in AP'

Our Bureau

HYDERABAD, Feb. 25

THE Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister, Mr. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, said that the State per capita income is set to register a growth of around 9 per cent during the current year, compared to 1998-99.

Mr. Ramakrishnudu said that the State had recorded an all-time high foodgrain output of 149.50 lakh tonnes in 1998-99. However, the output is expected to go down to about 128 lakh tonnes this year, mainly due to drought conditions prevailing in about 612 mandals spread across 16 districts.

Even the current projected foodgrain output of 128 lakh tonnes during the year would be significant, considering the impact of the adverse seasonal conditions. However, the Finance Minister felt that the output of 128 lakh tonnes, which would also be sec ond highest ever recorded in the State, may go up further as against the preliminary projections.

Mr. Ramakrishnudu said that the output reflects on the sustained development programmes initiated by the State Government to bring in more crop acreage under irrigation channels in the State. While terming the 10.50 per cent increase in the gross State d omestic product (GSDP) in 1998-99 (over 1997-98) as a significant development, Mr. Ramakrishnudu said this was the highest achieved by any State in the country during the period. Even the per capita income for 1998-99 was estimated to be 9 per cent highe r than the previous fiscal (1997-98).

However, he maintained that industrial production had registered a slump in 1998-99. As per preliminary reports for the 10 months this year, it is expected to go up to around 9 per cent this year.

Earlier, the Finance Minister launched the recently developed Web site of the State Directorate of Economics and Statistics. The site contains several years of vital statistics relating to State, including agriculture, season and crop output, GSDP, stati stical abstract, handbook of statistics and economy in brief.

Complimenting the directorate for pioneering the work on statistics and acting as the principal agency for collecting and processing data on various parameters of economic development, Mr. Ramakrishnudu said the State Government was making all-out effort s to provide transparency and creating an environment for bringing in openness in the system.

The directorate, which collates data through its State-level agency, district planning departments and the mandal level machinery, brings out several publications which reflect the status of the State economy. These parameters give idea as to the status of State finances, he said.