Progress despite setbacks: Rosaiah

Despite facing numerous challenges like massive floods,severe drought and separate statehood agitation during the past one year,Andhra Pradesh has managed to move ahead on the path of progress,said Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Sunday.

Just 17 days after we celebrated the Independence Day last year,Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy died in a chopper crash. Before we could recover from the massive tragedy,we had massive floods. At the same time,there was severe drought in many areas, he said.

Due to the global economic slowdown,thousands became jobless in IT sector. This reflected in price rise too, he said in his Independence Day address at Parade Grounds here.

The state exchequer came under tremendous pressure as revenue collections fell drastically due to the floods,famine and regional agitation that lasted four months,he said.

However,things looked up in the past six months with the government being able to concentrate on development,he said.