CM Naidu meets district collectors, discusses revival of lift irrigation

Amaravati: Soon the people of Andhra Pradesh will see the old CBN of 1995, said chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, referring to his popular moniker in public.

On Monday, CM Naidu along with deputy CM Pawan Kalyan and other officials held the first conference with the district collectors since coming to power in June. The CM directed all district collectors that the ‘devastated’ brand image of the State should be revived for the reconstruction of Andhra Pradesh.

“Every officer should think innovatively with the slogan of ‘Work Hard, Work Smart and Think Globally,’” said CM Chandrababu Naidu.

Recalling his days in 1995, the CM said he expects the officials to pick up speed in works and would soon begin surprise checks in all the departments. In 1995, Naidu was 45 years old when he was sworn in as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh (United).

Pedala Sevalo programme on the first of every month

Naidu asked the district collectors to mingle with people on the first of every month in the programme christened Pedala Sevalo (in service of the poor).

Informing the meeting that a vision document will be released on October 2 for the development of the State, Naidu said that the State has efficient officers but in the past five years they rendered the State the most ineffective one.

The collectors were further told to formulate a vision document at the district level with ground-level changes that will be visible in the coming 100 days.

Regretting that the Andhra Pradesh brand has been hit badly by the inefficient policies of the previous government, Naidu stressed the need to restore the prestige of the State. He asked the IAS officers to make ground-level visits frequently and respond to the appeals of the people from a human angle.

“There is every need that the officers should accord proper importance to the advice being given by the local ministers and MLAs and implement their ideas,” he said.

‘Prepare an action plan for filling reservoirs, ponds’

CM Chandrababu Naidu asked the district collectors to prepare an action plan to fill the reservoirs and ponds so that every drop of water can be properly utilised.

Reviewing the availability of water resources in the State during the conference, the chief minister wanted the crops that can be grown with minimum water usage to be encouraged. Directing the district collectors to take steps to fill all the drinking water tanks in the State on time, he said that the aim of the State should be supplying irrigation water to every acre.

‘Need for interlinking all rivers in AP’

Stressing the need for interlinking all rivers in the State, CM Naidu said that the State has five main rivers – the Krishna, the Godavari, the Pennar, the Nagavali and the Vamsadhara – and 35 small rivers besides 38,422 minor irrigation facilities.

Directing the district collectors to review the revival of all the lift irrigation schemes that can be completed with minimum expenditure, he asked them to coordinate with the officials of the agricultural department on encouraging the high-yielded crops that can be grown with less utilisation of irrigation water.

‘Use drones to monitor canals and irrigation projects’

He said that four crore acres of ayakut need to be irrigated in all 26 districts and wanted the collectors to monitor canals and irrigation projects through drones.

“The officials of the Irrigation Department, Revenue, Police and the Rural Water Supply (RWS) besides other wings should actively monitor the process of release of water to canals and take timely decisions,” the CM said.

Regretting that the previous government could not release funds even for erecting gates to the irrigation projects, CM Chandrababu made it clear that if any gate is washed away, the assistant engineer and the deputy engineer concerned will be placed under suspension.

‘Won’t spare people spreading fake news’

Naidu directed bureaucrats to counter fake propaganda being spread by certain elements to defame the government with a vested interest.

“The bureaucrats and the heads of various departments (HoDs) should counter in a suitable manner the propaganda of these social media accounts and disseminate information which is useful for the public,” he said.

“There are fake people posting fake news on social media. The government is very clear on one thing: we won’t do political victimisation and we won’t spare anyone who’s done wrong,” said CM Naidu.