Projecting Andhra Pradesh as a State on the rebound after years of ‘financial ruin and administrative collapse', Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday called for faster, innovation-led governance to position the State as a 'national benchmark' in development, investments and public service delivery. 

Addressing District Collectors and senior officials at the 7th Collectors’ Conference held at the Secretariat near here, Mr. Naidu delivered a strong political and administrative message, asserting that his government had pulled Andhra Pradesh out of an unprecedented crisis inherited from the previous regime. The State was burdened with debts of ₹9.74 lakh crore, unpaid bills of ₹1.30 lakh crore and diversion of nearly ₹10,000 crore from 94 Centrally-sponsored schemes. “The system was weakened, infrastructure suffered, and governance machinery was paralysed. But through collective effort, discipline and reforms, we have restored credibility and brought Andhra Pradesh back on track,” the Chief Minister said.

Focus on development

Positioning development as the foundation of welfare, Mr. Naidu stressed that sustainable welfare was impossible without economic growth and wealth creation. “Without development there is no wealth, and without wealth there is no welfare,” he remarked, underlining his government’s economic philosophy.

Highlighting the State’s renewed investor appeal, Mr. Naidu said Andhra Pradesh had unveiled 26 new policies that rebuilt confidence among industries and global investors. The government, he said, had already secured investment commitments worth ₹23 lakh crore with the potential to create nearly 24 lakh jobs.

“Today, Andhra Pradesh is witnessing one MoU every day and one groundbreaking ceremony every week,” he said. The State was rapidly emerging as a manufacturing destination, including in sectors such as air-conditioner production, clean energy and advanced industries.

In the power sector, the procurement costs had already been reduced by 30 paise per unit and would soon come down by another 30 paise, he said, adding that the government had introduced the 'true-down' mechanism.

Calling development the 'engine of progress', Mr. Naidu urged Collectors to compete with one another in boosting Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), innovation and regional growth. From agriculture and services to mineral wealth and manufacturing, Andhra Pradesh possessed enormous untapped potential, he said and insisted that every district must become a growth centre in the State’s economic resurgence.

'Quarterly exam’

Describing the Collectors’ Conference as a 'quarterly examination' for officials, Mr. Naidu stressed field-level governance and result-oriented administration. Spend more time among people. “Office tells you data, field tells you truth,” he said, and added that governance efficiency directly determines economic growth and GSDP performance.

In a sharp message to the bureaucracy, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure 100% resolution of public grievances and warned against delays, especially in non-financial matters. He also ordered a complete overhaul of land administration and revenue records by March 2027, promising a transparent, technology-driven and ‘zero-error' governance system.