Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah on Sunday directed the officials to submit a fortnightly report on the progress of schemes and projects aimed at welfare of the tribals and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families living in remote areas.

The Andhra Pradesh government has given top priority for development of remote and interior areas in the state with a focused plan of action to promote both rural infrastructure and welfare activities in a balanced and phased manner, he said.

The Chief Minister said faster development of remote areas was important to wean away youth from joining militant movements.

"I want to ensure that the tribals and other rural poor, though live in remote and interior areas are not denied benefits of all welfare and development programs like food security, health care, housing and employment generation", an official release quoted him as saying.

The Chief Minster reviewed the pace of welfare and development activities in tribal, interior and remote areas of the state with the Minister for Home Sabitha Indra Reddy and the Minister for Tribal Welfare and Remote and Interior Areas Development Pasupuleti Balaraju and higher officials on the eve of his visit to Delhi to participate in the meeting on internal security on July 14, the release said.

Rosaiah said Andhra Pradesh topped the country in engaging the rural poor, women and youth in gainful economic activity through various popular schemes like MGNREGA, Pavala Vaddi, and self help groups and achieved large scale employment generation and food security in rural areas.

He said a huge sum of Rs 3,842 crore has been earmarked for rural development in the State during the current year to promote roads, drinking water, housing, employment generation and comprehensive development of lands of rural poor.

An amount of Rs 8,892 crore is being spent on NREGP, to provide employment to 2.75 crores labourers in rural areas, particularly in remote and tribal areas, the release added.