Key Directives Issued by Chandrababu Naidu for Sankranti Travelers

As the festive spirit of Sankranti fills the homes of Telugu-speaking people, a large number of individuals are returning to their native places to celebrate. Particularly, a significant influx of travelers is expected from neighboring states into Andhra Pradesh. In response to this anticipated surge in travel, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has issued key directives to officials to ensure smooth transportation for the public during the festive period.

Highlighting the need to ease the congestion on busy travel routes, Chandrababu Naidu directed the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to deploy additional buses wherever necessary. Furthermore, if APSRTC buses are insufficient, he suggested utilizing buses from private schools and colleges. He emphasized that all available resources should be mobilized to transport passengers safely to their hometowns. He instructed that only vehicles with valid fitness certificates should be used for this purpose and stressed that all these buses must operate under APSRTC’s coordination to provide hassle-free travel services.

The Chief Minister shared these instructions during an informal media interaction at the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) headquarters in Mangalagiri. Following suggestions from attendees, he promptly responded by issuing immediate directives to officials.

Key Announcements from Chandrababu Naidu’s Interaction

    * Extending Sankranti greetings to the people of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu noted that this year’s celebrations are expected to be more vibrant than before.
    * He stated that additional transportation facilities would be provided for travelers returning from neighboring states to their hometowns within Andhra Pradesh.
    * Discussing road infrastructure, the Chief Minister claimed that significant progress had been made in road repairs. He assured that all pothole-free roads would be completed by the end of next month.
    * Gradual completion of roadworks in phases was promised, with the goal of ensuring safe and comfortable travel for the public.

Major Development Initiatives

Chandrababu Naidu highlighted that the state’s investment climate was improving, especially in the renewable energy sector. He cited the successful attraction of ₹1.85 lakh crore in green energy investments, with projections of ₹10 lakh crore in clean energy alone. He added that the upcoming visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos would serve to market Andhra Pradesh to global investors, facilitating further investments.

He also outlined several key initiatives in clean energy and transportation:

    * Plans are in place to establish 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the state.
    * Reliance is setting up a bio-compressed gas facility, which could yield up to ₹30,000 per acre for farmers. The leftover waste would be repurposed as fertilizer.
    * The government is working on a solar energy program, named “PM Suryaghar,” in Kuppam. This initiative aims to provide solar panels to every household, with full subsidy for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) and partial subsidy for other groups. The government plans to recover part of the investment by using a portion of the electricity generated until the subsidy amount is offset.

Chandrababu Naidu revealed that a solar power pilot project aimed at generating income for households had already been launched in Kuppam.

Focus on Technology and Governance

Discussing governance improvements, Chandrababu Naidu emphasized the state’s focus on leveraging technology for better service delivery. He shared plans to:

    * Geo-tag every household and individual in the state to ensure targeted welfare programs.
    * Enhance real-time monitoring of public services using technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Aadhaar-based systems.
    * Strengthen village and ward secretariats for efficient service delivery and reallocate excess personnel to other departments.
    * Use data-driven governance to directly improve the quality of life and welfare of residents.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed his commitment to creating a “Wealthy, Healthy, and Happy Andhra Pradesh” and expressed enthusiasm about reviving community bonding programs such as “Happy Sunday” and “Community Friendship.” These programs are aimed at fostering relationships among people and reducing the over-reliance on mobile phones, which Chandrababu Naidu observed has made life increasingly mechanical.

He concluded by announcing plans to release a concept paper on the "P4 policy," aimed at encouraging those in higher positions to assist those at the grassroots level.