Amaravati, Oct 21 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday asked officials to take steps to shield consumers from a possible El Niño-driven rise in the prices of essential commodities.
At a review meeting, Naidu stressed the need for strict monitoring of prices and asked officials to ensure that the rates of rice, red gram, onions, edible oils and sugar remained under control.
“Take effective measures to prevent the impact of El Niño-induced price rise of essential commodities,” he said, according to a press release.
Naidu enquired about the sale of government-supplied rice through Rythu Bazaars and asked officials to explore making fine-quality rice available at affordable prices at these outlets during festivals such as Deepavali and Sankranti. He directed them to increase onion supplies so that the common people did not face inconvenience.
He emphasised the need for stringent measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply across the state.
Reviewing the PM Surya Ghar scheme, Naidu called for expediting rooftop solar panel installations and improving the state’s performance under the programme.
Noting that Andhra Pradesh ranked fourth in the country, he called for intensified efforts to improve its standing. Another nine lakh connections were required to meet the target, he said, and directed officials to implement a time-bound action plan to complete the installations at the earliest.
Naidu instructed officials to ensure uninterrupted supply of sand and stressed the need to leverage technology in governance, promptly identify shortcomings and take corrective measures.
The TDP supremo called for better coordination among various government departments, the release said.
El Niño, the warm phase of a natural climate cycle, raises sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific, triggering weather changes that can increase the risk of droughts and floods and intensify human-induced global warming.
(PTI News)
