Andhra Pradesh celebrated its Formation Day on Sunday, with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy unfurling the national flag at his official residence at Tadepalli here.
The Chief Minister took the salute from a police contingent and paid floral tributes at the statue of freedom fighter Potti Sriramulu.
The main official celebration was a simple affair in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Secretary Neelam Sawhney, Director General of Police Goutam Sawang and some senior officials attended the ceremony.
Later, addressing District Collectors and Superintendents of Police through a videoconference, Jagan Reddy recalled that Andhra Pradesh came into existence on November 1, 1956 due to the supreme sacrifice of Potti Sriramulu.
He said that Andhra Pradesh is the only state in the country formed after so many sacrifices and also the only state to be "betrayed", apparently referring to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 to carve out Telangana state.
Reddy said that Andhra Pradesh still had 32 lakh families living below poverty line. He said that after his government assumed office 17 months ago, it took a number of measures for the welfare of all sections of people and transformation of villages.
The Chief Minister said that his government also launched many initiatives to ensure good and corruption-free governance without any bias on the basis of caste, community, region and party affiliation.
Jagan Reddy said the state government is taking steps for its all-round progress and implementing schemes to provide education and health to all.
This is the second year since Andhra's bifurcation that the state is celebrating the Formation Day on November 1.
On November 1, 1956, Andhra Pradesh was formed with the merger of erstwhile Andhra State and Hyderabad State.
After becoming the first Chief Minister of a truncated Andhra Prdesh in 2014, Chandrababu Naidu had decided to celebrate its Formation Day on June 2. The Jagan government, however, reverted to November 1 date to celebrate the Foundation Day.
