CM Naidu unveils development agenda in Tirupati; vows plastic-free Andhra, clean politics
Addressing the gathering in Tirupati's 'Swarna Andhra-Swachh Andhra' programme, Naidu articulated his vision for 'Swarnandhra Pradesh' (Golden Andhra Pradesh) through 'Swachhandhra Pradesh' (Clean Andhra Pradesh), drawing parallels with Japan's renowned cleanliness culture. The Chief Minister expressed pride in Andhra Pradesh securing five Swachh Survekshan national awards, underscoring the importance of collective responsibility in maintaining cleanliness.
Emphasising promoting reusable items such as steel glasses and raising awareness among government employees to lead by example, he urged citizens to 'chase away the plastic ghost,' promoting recycling and the concept of 'waste not being waste.'
On the occasion, Naidu outlined several ambitious projects aimed at propelling Andhra Pradesh into a new era of development. A 'Quantum Valley' will be established in Amaravati, focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and aiming to make the capital a hub for quantum technology. Additionally, a 'Green Hydrogen Valley' will be established for clean electricity production, leveraging green hydrogen to combat pollution.
Furthermore, a weather information app is slated for launch to provide advanced weather information to the public. By August 15, approximately 700 government services will be accessible through WhatsApp Governance (Mana Mitra), streamlining public interaction with the administration.
The Chief Minister committed to the speedy completion of the Mallemadugu and Balaji Reservoirs. A significant promise was also made to bring Handri-Neeva waters via Kalyani Dam to Tirumala, specifically to the feet of Lord Venkateswara Swamy, and to Tirupati.
Addressing concerns of the populace, Naidu announced that DSC recruitments would be completed by August 20. Furthermore, he confirmed the implementation of free bus travel for women across the State starting August 15, a key promise under his government's 'Super Six' schemes. He also highlighted the successful implementation of the 'Talliki Vandanam' scheme, providing financial support to mothers based on the number of their children.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Opposition boycotts mayor tea meeting over poor sanitation and waste management in Chandigarh
1 2 Chandigarh: The opposition parties in the municipal corporation — Congress and AAP — boycotted the tea meeting hosted by mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla on Friday. While the mayor organised the gathering to mark Chandigarh's recognition in the Swachh Survekshan, opposition leaders criticised the move, citing poor sanitation and the unresolved issue of legacy waste at Dadumajra. The city received a three-star rating despite applying for a seven-star Garbage Free City certification, largely due to missed deadlines in clearing the waste dump. AAP leaders condemned the celebration, stating, "When city roads are broken, areas are waterlogged, people are drinking unsafe water, and toxic leachate from Dadumajra is entering residential areas, holding celebrations is an insult to public pain. " They also pointed out that the city's previous high ranking came under AAP mayor Kuldeep Kumar, and accused the BJP of wrongly claiming credit. Congress leaders echoed the criticism, with councillor Gurpreet Singh saying, "It is painful that the city is struggling with sanitation and road issues, yet BJP is celebrating. Moreover, Chandigarh has been removed from the main cities list in the Swachh Survekshan." Congress also noted that the invitation to the tea meeting was received very late. The meet was attended only by BJP and nominated councillors. Mayor Babla congratulated sanitation workers, officials, and citizens for their efforts. Key action points discussed included intensive cleaning drives in back lanes and inner colonies, enhanced door-to-door waste collection, strengthened monitoring of public spaces and waste hotspots, and citizen awareness campaigns and feedback initiatives.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
Chandigarh: AAP boycotts mayor's ‘hollow' Swachh Survekshan tea, slams 12% power tariff hike
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday hit out at the city administration on two fronts: boycotting a mayor-hosted tea gathering to celebrate Chandigarh's second place in the national Swachh Survekshan (cleanliness survey) rankings, and lodging strong objections to the 12 per cent power tariff hike approved by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). The AAP said the BJP mayoral candidate was wrongfully claiming credit for the Swachh Survekshan rankings, achieved under former AAP mayor Kuldeep Kumar, and that the celebrations are being done 'amid broken roads, waterlogging, unsafe drinking water, and toxic leachate from Dadumajra entering residential areas is an insult to public pain'. 'We stand with citizens struggling with roads, water and toxic waste, not with those holding hollow celebrations,' the party said in a statement issued by state media incharge Vikrant A Tanwar. Separately, AAP leaders led by the party's city president Vijaypal Singh protested the JERC-approved 12 per cent power tariff hike during a public hearing in Sector 10, submitting a memorandum to the commission's chairperson. They called the hike 'a direct assault on public interest' and said privatisation of the profitable electricity department had turned into 'a blunder.' The AAP pointed out that the erstwhile government-run department posted Rs 258.85-crore profit in 2020–2021, but its private operator, Chandigarh Power Distribution Ltd (CPDL), has now projected Rs 158.0-crore revenue gap for 2025–26 and losses of Rs 982 crore over the next five years, all without an independent audit. The party also alleged a decline in service quality since privatisation, citing more outages, inflated bills, arbitrary disconnections and poor grievance redressal. 'People are paying more for worse services — this is robbery, not reform,' Singh said, demanding an immediate rollback of the hike, an independent audit of CPDL, a public performance review, and at least 200 free units for domestic users.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Naidu lays out roadmap before Rajnath for defence sector investments in A.P.
In a determined bid to establish Andhra Pradesh as a national leader in defence and aerospace manufacturing, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has put forward a proposal to the Union Government, aiming to attract major strategic investments to the State. A delegation of senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Members of Parliament met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Thursday and submitted the Chief Minister's proposals, which outline a multi-pronged roadmap for defence development in the region. The delegation, led by MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayulu and joined by MPs Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and Daggumalla Prasada Rao, conveyed Mr. Naidu's vision to transform Andhra Pradesh into a robust defence production hub. They submitted two detailed communications from the Chief Minister — both dated May 19 — laying out plans for setting up defence corridors, reviving existing infrastructure, and partnering with the Centre on high-impact manufacturing projects. At the core of the proposal is the establishment of four major defence and aerospace manufacturing clusters strategically located across the State. These include a missile and ammunition production zone in Jaggaiahpet–Donakonda, an aircraft and defence electronics hub in Lepakshi–Madakasira, a naval equipment and weapons testing complex in Visakhapatnam–Anakapalli, and a drone and robotics manufacturing unit in Kurnool–Orvakal region. Together, these clusters would cover over 23,000 acres and serve as the backbone of the State's defence industrial ecosystem. In addition to these hubs, the proposal seeks Central support for a ₹2,400 crore BEL Strategic Complex at Palasamudram and calls for the revival of the aluminium alloy plant of Utkal Alumina and Defence Ltd. (UADNL) in Nellore, which has a capacity of 60,000 TPA. Other projects outlined include land allocation for HAL's expansion plans, establishing an MRO and assembly facility for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program at Lepakshi–Madakasira, and setting up an Air Force Station at Donakonda to support nearby UAV and missile test ranges. Naval SEZ The letter also proposes a Naval SEZ and training centre in Visakhapatnam to support the Eastern Naval Command and allied operations. A DRDO Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence at IIT Tirupati has been suggested to strengthen R&D and innovation in collaboration with academia. To coordinate and oversee the scale of these initiatives, the proposal recommends engaging NITI Aayog, defence industry veterans, and scientific experts, including former DRDO Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy, to guide Andhra Pradesh's transition into a nationally significant defence manufacturing State. In his communication, Mr. Naidu emphasised that these proposals are aligned with the national vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and are aimed at strengthening India's self-reliance in defence technologies. He highlighted the dual goals of enhancing national security and creating large-scale employment and industrial growth in Andhra Pradesh. He also requested the Defence Ministry's recognition and support for the projects, stating that the proposed hubs will help the State emerge as a key contributor to India's defence and aerospace sector. The outreach marks a renewed and strategic push by Mr. Naidu to attract the country's largest defence investments and position Andhra Pradesh as a future-ready hub for innovation, manufacturing, and strategic capability.
