Trying to undo damage caused by previous govt: AP CM Naidu

Hindustan Times

23-05-2025

New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said his government is trying to "rectify at the earliest" the damage caused by the previous YSRCP dispensation and that it would take a minimum of 10 years to bring the state back on track.
Speaking to reporters here, Naidu said he met Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman, and sought central support for the development of Andhra Pradesh.
The Telugu Desam Party president also met New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, and Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.
Naidu said his government is working to rebuild the state despite inheriting a massive debt burden of ₹1.20 lakh crore along with liabilities and payment dues of ₹9,094 crore.
"On June 12, we will complete one year in office. We are trying to bring every department on track. Every department has been either derailed or has become defunct. There is no choice but to rebuild," the chief minister said.
He claimed that the level of destruction inflicted on the state by the previous regime was unprecedented. "Such kind of destruction of a state has not happened in the past," he said.
Despite the financial constraints, Naidu said his government is focusing on key projects, including the development of Amaravati as the state capital, completion of the Polavaram irrigation project, and revival of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
The government is also working to attract domestic investment to fast-track development across the state, he added.
Naidu said that in his meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he flagged the state's financial problem and sought funds for the Polavaram irrigation project as well as for the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project.
The Polavaram irrigation project will be completed by 2027. There will be no compromise on speed and quality. The central government is also monitoring the progress of the project closely, he said.
In a separate meeting with Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Naidu said he discussed the Polavaram-Banakacherla project. The CM said the river linking project would benefit millions in drought-hit areas and serve as a model for river-linking across India.
The Detailed Project Report is expected by June 2025, Naidu said. He requested better coordination between the departments concerned to fast-track the project.
He said the proposed project aims to divert surplus Godavari floodwater to drought-affected areas through a three-part water transfer system, including the Bollapalle reservoir.
In his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Naidu said he presented a strategic vision to position Andhra Pradesh as a national hub for defence manufacturing and aerospace innovation.
The proposals included development of integrated defence facilities, revival of critical manufacturing units, support for indigenous aviation programmes, establishment of testing and training centres, and creation of thematic defence hubs.
"We discussed a comprehensive roadmap for Andhra Pradesh to emerge as a cornerstone of India's defence and aerospace future. Grateful for his encouraging response and assurance of full support," the chief minister said in a post on X.
In his meeting with New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi, Naidu requested the allocation of rooftop solar capacity under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and urged expediting approval of proposals submitted by the state's electricity distribution companies in January.
"Had a fruitful meeting... With the Centre's support, we will reduce energy costs, empower our people, and lead India's clean energy transition," Naidu said on X.
The chief minister has set a target of installing 20 lakh rooftop solar units by 2025. Under the scheme, SC/ST households will receive free rooftop solar systems while backward caste households will get ₹10,000 per kWp subsidy for up to 2 kWp installations.
Andhra Pradesh's Clean Energy Policy 2024-29 targets an additional 72.6 GW of renewable energy, including 40 GW of solar power.
In a meeting with Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, Naidu sought support to transform the state into a pivotal hub for space manufacturing and innovation.
The state's proposal outlined the development of two state-supported space cities, one near the ISRO SHAR spaceport and another near Lepakshi, to serve as integrated hubs for satellite production, launch vehicle development and industry collaboration.
He also apprised the Union minister of the appointment of former ISRO chief S Somanath as the honorary adviser on space technology to the government of Andhra Pradesh.
In his meeting with Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Naidu submitted a detailed letter outlining Andhra Pradesh's strategic role in advancing India's electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
During the meeting, the CM appreciated the Union government's initiatives, especially the launch of the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme , which are pivotal to realising India's vision of becoming a global hub for electronics production.
He highlighted Andhra Pradesh's readiness to complement this vision through robust policies like the Semiconductor Display Fab Policy and the Electronics Manufacturing Policy which offer fiscal incentives and plug-and-play infrastructure to investors.