Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu directs officials to improve facilities for tribals

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed officials to improve facilities for tribal people in the state and relieve them from hardship such as physically carrying pregnant women to hospitals from their habitations and other difficulties.

The chief minister held a review meeting of the Tribal Welfare Department and instructed officials to provide necessary amenities and resume feeder ambulance services.

Taking stock of the education, health and welfare schemes meant for tribals, Naidu alleged that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government had negated them.

"In the coming days there should be no physical carrying of pregnant women in the tribal areas of the state. The living standards of the tribal people plummeted due to the devastation of the previous government," said Naidu in an official release.

The CM instructed officials to restart the special rooms which were created for pregnant women in their second trimester during the erstwhile TDP government between 2014 and 2019 to enable tribal women to benefit.

Further, he observed that the sales and marketing of Araku Coffee, a tribal product, which was championed by the TDP government, was allegedly neglected by the YSRCP regime, along with other tribal products.

The CM called for a complete overhaul in dealing with tribal products as they have good demand at the national and international level.