No power tariff hike in Andhra: CM Naidu assures consumers

Amaravati: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ruled out any increase in power tariffs in Andhra Pradesh.

He assured that the benefits of true-down charges would be passed on directly to electricity consumers.

He also set an ambitious governance and infrastructure agenda, calling for faster renewable energy adoption, simplified business rules, and accelerated development of the capital region.

Addressing the Ministers and Secretaries Conference at the Secretariat here on Monday, the Chief Minister laid out a multi-sector roadmap covering power, agriculture, transport, administration, and capital construction.

No power tariff hike, direct benefit to consumers

The Chief Minister made it clear that there would be no power tariff hike in the state. He instructed officials to ensure that true-down charges are transferred directly to consumers without delays.

Emphasising long-term sustainability, he said power generation should move towards a net-zero elimination concept, balancing costs and environmental responsibility.

Push for renewable energy, aim for power surplus.

Calling for faster implementation of solar rooftop projects, along with wind and pumped storage power generation, the Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh has moved from a power-deficient state to one approaching power surplus.

Efforts are underway to bring down the power purchase cost to Rs 3.90 per unit, he added.

Focus on Agriculture and Global markets

The Chief Minister directed officials to continuously monitor market opportunities to ensure better prices for farmers. He stressed the need to focus on crops with strong global demand and improve marketing support for agricultural produce.

Rayalaseema to emerge as horticulture hub

Highlighting the potential of Rayalaseema, the Chief Minister said the region currently produces 22 million tonnes of horticulture output, with a target set at 40 million tonnes.

“To develop Rayalaseema as a horticulture hub, we should not depend only on Central funds. Private investment must also be actively encouraged,” he said.

Rail, Transport and EV Push

The Chief Minister informed that construction of a four-lane railway line from Ichchapuram to Nellore is underway and that a high-speed train project will also materialise in the near future.

He also directed that at least 1,000 APSRTC buses be converted to electric vehicles (EVs) as part of the state’s green mobility push.

Simplify rules, improve Ease of Doing Business

Expressing concern over administrative delays, he cited the example of a small rice mill requiring over 30 permissions. Such hurdles contradict the goal of ease of doing business, he said.

He called for simplification of rules in key departments, including Fire Services, Municipal Administration, Forest, and School Education.

Government services through WhatsApp

The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure that government services are accessible through WhatsApp, stressing that good governance means citizens should not have to make repeated visits to government offices to get their work done.

Ensure uninterrupted sand supply for capital works

Taking note of complaints from NTR and Krishna districts regarding hurdles in sand and gravel supply, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure the uninterrupted availability of construction material so that development works in the capital region face no obstacles.

With these directives, the Chief Minister underlined the government’s focus on consumer welfare, clean energy, farmer prosperity, administrative reforms, and rapid capital development.