Amaravati, Sep 11 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday urged officials to adopt a people-friendly approach and focus on results with speed and accountability.
Addressing the eighth collectors conference, the CM advised officials to use technology with a human touch to win the confidence of the people.
“Adopt a people-friendly attitude and focus more on results with speed and accountability. Use technology with a human touch to win the confidence of the people,” the CM said. He said the government had faced several challenges over the past 27 months and brought about changes across various systems.
The government was clear about its priorities of welfare, development and good governance, he said, adding that effective law and order was important for delivering good governance.
He said people were reposing faith in the Rayalaseema Rising initiative and that North Andhra had received fresh momentum for development with the inauguration of the Bhogapuram airport.
Naidu said the completion of the Veligonda project had opened new avenues for development in the erstwhile Prakasam district. With improved connectivity through the Seed Access Road, Amaravati would emerge as a better-planned city and one of the country’s most liveable cities, he said.
The CM said the growth rate at current prices was estimated at 13.44 per cent, while GST collections had recorded an 18 per cent growth and the state’s GSDP growth estimates were higher than the national average.
Several innovative initiatives being implemented in districts had emerged as best practices that could be adopted across the state, Naidu said.
He highlighted the drone project in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, sports schools in Anantapur, the Swarna Bhavitha school initiative in Bapatla and digital learning projects in Chittoor, among others.
The CM said the state government was responsible for signing investment proposals, while district collectors were responsible for grounding those investments.
He directed collectors to speed up land allotments for industries that had already received approvals, stressing that industries, services and agriculture would collectively drive GSDP growth.
The CM said the state had received deficient rainfall due to the severe impact of El Niño and called for a comprehensive action plan to deal with the situation effectively.
He directed officials to give priority to drinking water, water for livestock and the availability of fodder.
He reiterated that the 36 priority irrigation projects for which a construction calendar had been prepared must be completed within the stipulated deadlines.
The CM said law and order had always been his priority whenever he served as chief minister and made it clear that there would be no scope for political pressure in maintaining it.
He instructed the police to remain people-friendly while being firm and respond to problems in line with the changing needs of society.
Naidu called for firm action against those obstructing development.
He said the DSC teacher recruitment examinations had been conducted with the highest level of transparency despite alleged attempts to obstruct the process through around 350 petitions.
According to the CM, long-pending cases had also been resolved, enabling the government to recruit police constables.
He referred to allegations surrounding the Group-I services examinations and said the High Court had ordered an SIT inquiry.
Naidu said the government was addressing employee concerns by releasing dearness allowance and surrender leave benefits to employees and police personnel.
Leadership was essential for new-age governance powered by deep technology, he added.
Earlier, Naidu directed officials to compile a welfare calendar specifying the dates for implementing various welfare schemes.
He asked officials to create awareness among people about how to make effective use of the funds received through welfare schemes.
“Compile a welfare calendar with information on various welfare schemes’ implementation dates. Welfare should be delivered without interruption for the empowerment of the poor,” the CM said on the second day of the conference.
Naidu directed officials to prepare an action plan to add value to caste-based vocations and called for weaver and handicraft centres to be transformed into experience centres.
Before issuing new pensions, he said families should be mapped as units, with larger families prioritised for more benefits.
Naidu said families should not be divided for ration and pension purposes and should not be reduced to “micro families”.
Of the Rs 1.5 lakh crore earmarked for welfare, Rs 75,000 crore had been spent on pensions, the CM said.
Naidu said the state had taken measures to transform five lakh women into entrepreneurs. PTI STH SSK
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