The State of Rayalaseema

Rayalaseema was carved out of the erstwhile Madras Presidency in 1953. Kurnool became the capital of Andhra State. The capital was later shifted to Hyderabad. Andhra Pradesh emerged by amalgamating Telangana region on Nov.1. 1956. Rayalseema produced many Chief Ministers. But this region suffered a lot both economically and socially. Geographically this rain shows region receives an average of 550 mm of rainfall. Only 24 per cent of the Rayalaseema area is irrigated in planned period, whereas in the State of Andhra Pradesh this figure is 41 percent. Productivity and production of crops have not risen consistently in the Rayalseema region. Foodgrains area and production have significantly fallen and farmers have shifted to commercial crops. Lawlessness was abundantly prevailing in many parts of the faction-ridden villages of the Rayalaseema region. This menace made the villagers lose their confidence and sense of security of life and property. Owing to this ugly hydra-headed menace both agriculture and industrialization expansion were increasingly retarded in the Rayalaseema region. Apart from the agrarian and economic issues, the book contains comprehensive sections on education, urbanisation and women development as well as profiles of some of the great sons of the soil like Jiddu Krishnamurti, Madabushi Ananthasayanam Iyengar and Pappuru Ramacharyulu.

Dr. A. Ranga Reddy is Professor, Department of Economics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati and has recently completed two projects. “An Assessment of Environmental Impact of Tungabhadra Project”, funded by UGC and “Revising Puchalapalle Sundaryya’s Research Study on Agrarian Changes” in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, funded by ICSSR, New Delhi. He organised many lecture programmes and seminars on Sustainable Development, Wastage of Irrigation Water, Health Care Services Management and Banking Credit. So far he ha published more than 50 papers and two books. He is a life member of several national professional bodies and Secretary of Madabushi Ananthasayanam Institute of Public Affairs, Tirupati. He was selected for Indo-French Cultural Exchange Programme (1997) and visited Paris. In the same year, he presented a research paper on Rayalaseema in the International Conference held at University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi. He received Meritorious Teacher award in 2000 form S.V. University Tirupati.