Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan handed over the first instalment of 3 lakh houses worth ₹3,600 crore to Andhra Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin 2.0 at an event in Burripalem village, Guntur district on October 4, 2026. The allocation was significantly increased from the initial proposal of 76,000 houses following Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's request to provide permanent homes for every poor family in the state. Chouhan assured that upon completion of these 3 lakh houses, the Centre would sanction an additional 3 lakh houses, followed by another 3 lakh, totaling 9 lakh houses to meet the state's requirement.
In a landmark development, Chouhan and Naidu laid the foundation stone for India's first pilot housing project using 3D concrete printing technology. The ₹14-crore project will construct 177 houses and is expected to be completed within six months. This technology promises to reduce construction time, costs, and labor requirements while offering greater durability and longer lifespan compared to conventional construction methods.
The Minister highlighted broader infrastructure support for Andhra Pradesh, including Parliament's legislation recognizing Amaravati as the sole permanent capital with special financial assistance of ₹15,000 crore for its development. The Polavaram irrigation project is receiving 100% grant assistance from the Centre after facing delays under the previous government. The proposed Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport is expected to strengthen connectivity and support economic growth.
On agricultural support, Chouhan noted that farmers in Andhra Pradesh will receive ₹20,000 annually through combined assistance of ₹6,000 from the Centre's PM-KISAN scheme and ₹14,000 from the state's 'Annadata Sukhibhava' scheme. The state has potential to become India's leading horticulture hub focusing on fruits, flowers, vegetables, and medicinal crops.
For women's economic empowerment, 23 lakh women in Andhra Pradesh have already become Lakhpati Didis through self-help groups, with the NDA government targeting to increase this number to 60 lakh. The national Saras Mela will be organized in Andhra Pradesh on October 15, 2026—the first time outside Delhi—and will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu to provide market access for women-led self-help groups.