April 11 (Reuters) - Drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Thursday it intends to increase annual dividend for 2024 by 7% to $3.10 per share, betting on strong performance and cash generation on the back of its blockbuster cancer drugs.

"This uplift is in line with our progressive dividend policy, which remains unchanged, and reflects the continuing strength of AstraZeneca's investment proposition for shareholders," Chair Michel Demaré said in a statement.

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker

has said

it expects total revenue and core earnings per share (EPS) to increase by percentages in the low double-digits to low-teens this year. (Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Varun H K)