Andhra govt introduces 'Monthly Economic Report' to continuously monitor growth

Amaravati, Jul 14 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the state government has introduced a 'Monthly Economic Report' to continuously monitor growth and improve governance through data-driven decision-making. Addressing ministers, secretaries and the heads of departments at the Secretariat today, the chief minister said that the government departments should focus more on improving citizen satisfaction through better service delivery. "Naidu said the state government is introducing a Monthly Economic Report for the first time in the country to continuously monitor Andhra Pradesh's economic growth and improve governance through data-driven decision-making," a release quoted the CM as saying. The CM said the government is committed to making governance more efficient, transparent and outcome-oriented by leveraging technology and real-time data. According to Naidu, monthly assessments of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), revenue receipts and departmental performance would help identify gaps and enable timely corrective measures. The performance and skills of government employees and officials would also be evaluated regularly to improve administrative efficiency, he said. Expressing concern over the growing number of public grievances against "certain departments," the chief minister directed officials to resolve complaints swiftly through the Public Grievance Redressal System (PGRS). He instructed all departments to strive for zero pendency in grievance disposal and analyse whether changes in rules or amendments to laws were required to permanently resolve recurring issues. Naidu alleged that the Revenue Department had inherited a large number of complaints due to the erstwhile YSRCP government's policies. To address long-pending land issues, he observed that the government is distributing Pattadar Passbooks (land documents) every month in different districts. Highlighting the importance of technology, he said the government has developed Artificial Intelligence-based tools to simplify governance and enhance revenue collection. These efforts have contributed to a 24 per cent increase in revenue collections across various departments, Naidu said, adding that nearly 20 per cent growth over 2017 levels was logged during the previous year and congratulated officials for their collective efforts. The chief minister cautioned that officials occupying key positions must not play a negative role and urged senior officers to undertake regular field visits to understand people's problems first-hand. Reaffirming the government's commitment to protecting consumers, Naidu said, "electricity tariffs have not been increased" despite entering the third year of the government's tenure. "The government remains committed to its promise of not raising power tariffs for five years and has also implemented true-down adjustments, resulting in reduced charges for consumers," the press release said. Further, the CM noted that the government is exploring alternative strategies to minimise the impact of geopolitical tensions in West Asia on the energy sector. Along with promoting induction stoves powered by electricity, the state will also focus extensively on expanding solar power generation, he said. Referring to irrigation initiatives, Naidu highlighted that the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme has enabled Godavari River waters to be supplied to the Krishna Delta, while water conservation initiatives across the state are progressing well and should be further strengthened He urged officials to adopt a proactive approach in governance and "anticipate challenges before they arise." The CM reaffirmed that the Polavaram Project would be completed and dedicated to the nation by March 2027, underscoring that construction work is progressing "satisfactorily" and announced that Godavari waters would be released to Anakapalli through Polavaram Left Main Canal on August 14. Likewise, he said Phase-I of the Veligonda Project will be dedicated to the nation on September 1, while timelines for completing the remaining 36 priority irrigation projects will also be announced. Reviewing the government's performance over the past two years, Naidu said the period between 2019 and 2024 had allegedly severely weakened administrative systems, but the present government has worked collectively to "restore governance through welfare, development and administrative reforms." Andhra Pradesh has emerged once again as one of India's most preferred investment destinations after allegedly losing credibility during the previous administration, he said. Naidu said Andhra Pradesh aims to become not only an agriculture-led economy but also a leading industrial state by effectively utilising its abundant natural resources, among other initiatives. PTI STH ADB