Q.Briefly give an account of the welfare schemes related to different sections in Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh runs welfare schemes for farmers, women and mothers, students, the aged/widows/differently-abled, weaker sections and health care, largely delivered through Direct Benefit Transfer so benefits reach people directly.

This 5-mark question in AP Intermediate 2nd year Economics belongs to the Economy of Andhra Pradesh unit, which the AP syllabus treats as a distinct state-focused topic.

Welfare schemes for different sections in Andhra Pradesh:

1. Farmers. Schemes provide investment support and input assistance to farmers to help meet the cost of cultivation and stabilise farm incomes.

2. Women and mothers. Financial assistance for mothers linked to children's education, support to women's self-help groups, and interest-free or low-interest loans promote women's welfare and empowerment.

3. Students. Fee reimbursement and maintenance assistance help students from poor families pursue higher education, and nutrition and mid-day meal support aids school children.

4. Aged, widows and differently-abled. Social-security pensions are paid to the elderly, widows, differently-abled persons and other vulnerable groups.

5. Weaker sections. Housing schemes, and special welfare measures for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and minorities, aim at inclusive development.

6. Health care. Free or subsidised treatment schemes provide cashless medical care for serious illnesses to poor families.

…

Andhra Pradesh operates a wide range of welfare schemes covering farmers, women, students, the aged and weaker sections — pensions, farm support, education scholarships and fee reimbursement, health insurance, support to women's self-help groups and housing for the poor — delivered largely through Direct Benefit Transfer. This is an AP Intermediate 2nd-year Economics topic on state welfare schemes.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh implements numerous welfare schemes aimed at improving the living conditions of the weaker and vulnerable sections of society. These may be grouped by the sections they serve:

1. Social-security pensions. Monthly pensions are given to the aged, widows, persons with disabilities, weavers and other vulnerable groups to provide them a basic income.
2. Welfare of farmers. Financial assistance and input support are given to farmers to help them meet the cost of cultivation and reduce distress.
3. Welfare of women. Support to women's self-help groups through cheap credit and interest-free or low-interest loans, along with schemes for their economic empowerment.
4. Education and students. Scholarships, fee reimbursement for college and professional courses, and financial help to mothers to send children to school aim to raise literacy and reduce dropouts among poor and weaker-section students.
5. Health protection. Health-insurance schemes meet the cost of serious illnesses and surgeries for poor families, protecting them from heavy medical expenditure.
6. Housing for the poor. Schemes to provide house sites and build houses for homeless and poor families.
7. Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and minorities through special assistance, hostels and development programmes. …

Andhra Pradesh protects its environment through afforestation, pollution control by the state pollution control board, water and greenery programmes, restoration of tanks, protection of forests, wildlife and the coast, promotion of renewable energy and cleanliness and waste-management drives.

As a coastal state with varied natural resources, Andhra Pradesh faces pressures of pollution, deforestation and resource depletion from growing population and industry. The AP Intermediate 2nd-year Economics course covers the state's environmental protection activities as part of the Economy of Andhra Pradesh.

Environmental protection activities in the state:

1. Afforestation drives. The state undertakes tree-planting and afforestation programmes to increase green cover and restore degraded land.

2. Pollution control. The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board monitors and regulates air and water pollution from industries and other sources.

3. Water and greenery programmes. Schemes such as Neeru-Chettu aim to conserve water, restore tanks and water bodies and promote greenery.

4. Protection of forests and wildlife. Forests, reserves and wildlife sanctuaries are protected to conserve biodiversity.

5. Renewable energy. The state promotes solar and wind energy to reduce dependence on polluting fossil fuels.

6. Coastal and mangrove protection. Being a coastal state, Andhra Pradesh protects its coastline and mangroves against erosion and degradation.

   …