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New Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Mentoring a Golden Future: The Promise of Naidu's P4 Model
The announcement of the 'Zero Poverty – P4' initiative by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu on the occasion ofUgadi marks a significant shift in India's approach to poverty alleviation. More than a welfare scheme, this initiative reflects an ambitious and morally compelling vision to eliminate poverty in the state by 2029. Framed within the broader Swarna Andhra 2047 agenda, the P4 model—Public-Private-People Partnership—draws upon the strengths of collaborative governance, civil society participation, and entrepreneurial philanthropy to tackle entrenched socio-economic disparities. What distinguishes the P4 initiative is its institutional architecture. Unlike traditional welfare models where the state acts as the sole provider of aid, this initiative consciously places the responsibility of upliftment into the hands of society's wealthiest 10%, inviting them to mentor and support the bottom 20% of the population. These mentors, termed Margadarsies , are not merely donors but guides and companions on the journey of socio-economic transformation. The beneficiaries, described as Bangaru Kutumbams or Golden Families, are selected transparently through Gram and Ward Sabhas, reflecting the initiative's commitment to decentralised and participatory governance. This grassroots selection process is crucial in preserving trust and ensuring that support reaches the truly deserving. Naidu's model builds upon the legacy of the Public-Private Partnership (P3), which played a transformative role in infrastructure and job creation during his earlier tenure. The P4 framework extends this logic of collaboration by adding people into the mix, thereby redefining development not as a top-down delivery of benefits but as a shared societal project. By making participation voluntary and delinking it from direct government subsidies, the initiative encourages a culture of civic responsibility and moral leadership, especially among NRIs and the Telugu diaspora. This approach not only expands the financial base for development efforts but also deepens the sense of ownership and emotional investment among of the most innovative aspects of the P4 initiative is its use of digital technology to monitor real-time progress. A digital dashboard will track the transformation of Bangaru Kutumbams , allowing for transparency, accountability, and adaptive learning. This is not merely a symbolic gesture—it signals a serious commitment to data-driven governance and continuous public engagement. Moreover, Chief Minister Naidu's call for feedback and public suggestions adds another layer of participatory democracy to the initiative, making it responsive to on-ground realities. Yet, what makes this initiative particularly remarkable is its long-term vision and sustainability architecture. The establishment of the Zero Poverty – P4 Society with chapters across the state ensures that the movement does not end with a change in administration or political winds. By institutionalising mentorship and support networks, it moves beyond the episodic nature of CSR and creates pathways for consistent, long-term engagement between benefactors and beneficiaries. This society-driven approach may well be Andhra Pradesh's most powerful innovation in poverty governance—a decentralised, voluntary, and emotionally grounded movement towards shared are clear parallels here with global best practices in community-driven development, yet the Andhra model is deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of the state. The choice to launch the initiative on Ugadi was not coincidental; it symbolises a new beginning, one that resonates with the ethos of renewal, optimism, and collective responsibility. Moreover, by giving the initiative culturally resonant terms like Margadarsies and Bangaru Kutumbams , the government has effectively indigenised the discourse of mentorship and philanthropy, making it more accessible and meaningful to local communities. Of course, the success of such an ambitious initiative will depend on how well it is implemented. Questions remain about how effectively mentors will be matched with families, the criteria for mentorship impact, and the mechanisms for addressing grievances or mismatches. The voluntary nature of participation, while ethically appealing, may also limit scalability unless incentives—social, moral, or reputational—are thoughtfully embedded into the design. Nonetheless, these are challenges of implementation, not design. As a conceptual framework, P4 offers a visionary template that deserves close attention and is also crucial to recognise that this is not a replacement for state-led welfare. Naidu has been explicit in stating that the P4 model complements existing welfare schemes rather than substitutes them. This clarity is important in a policy environment often polarised between state and market-led approaches. P4 occupies a middle ground—it calls upon the state to facilitate rather than dominate, and upon the citizen to engage rather than merely receive. This democratisation of development is perhaps its most radical successful, Andhra Pradesh could well become a model not only for India but for global efforts in building inclusive and participatory pathways out of poverty. *Dr Vineeth Thomas, Head, Department of Political Science, SRM University-AP **ChekkaLikithambica, BA(H) Political Science,Department of Political Science, SRM University-AP Disclaimer : This content is part of a marketing initiative. No TNIE Group journalists were involved in the creation of this content.
India Today
22-04-2025
- Business
- India Today
Chandrababu Naidu's poverty panacea
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated April 28, 2025)Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, is regarded as an auspicious time for new beginnings. And that's the day Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu chose to unveil an ambitious plan—part of his Swarna Andhra 2047 vision—which he claims could redefine poverty alleviation. The Zero Poverty-P4 initiative, launched on March 30, is a bold experiment in inclusive growth, enlisting the wealthiest 10 per cent of the population to support the bottom 20 per cent. The goal is sweeping: a poverty-free Andhra Pradesh by the heart of P4—short for Public-Private-People Partnership—is a structured mentorship programme. Affluent individuals, called 'Margadarsis' (mentors), will be encouraged to 'adopt' underprivileged families, designated as 'Bangaru Kutumbams' (golden families). These partnerships, facilitated by the government, go beyond financial aid. Margadarsis—expected to be from among the high-net worth individuals at home and the Telugu diaspora—can offer career guidance, help with financial decision-making, provide access to professional networks or even chip in with tuition fees or working capital. Those with limited time can help by contributing funds for education, healthcare or infrastructure for beneficiaries at the individual, family or village level. 'So far, charitable efforts have been individual [driven], while the government has introduced Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). But this initiative is unique as it provides an institutionalised platform for direct interaction between Margadarsis and Bangaru Kutumbams,' says The first phase has already begun. Two Bangaru Kutumbams were introduced to three prominent Margadarsis—Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) managing director P.V. Krishna Reddy, Greenko CEO Anil Kumar Chalamalasetty and entrepreneur Sajjan Kumar Goenka. The families spoke about their struggles, particularly their inability to fund their children's education. Reacting to this, Krishna Reddy revealed that he had already surveyed a mandal in Krishna district and was prepared to adopt it in its entirety. This is just the start. The government has identified two million of the state's most deprived families for inclusion in the programme, with more to be added later. The immediate goal is to facilitate the 'adoption' of 500,000 of them by August 15. While the government will structure the initiative and ensure transparency through digital dashboards, it has kept itself out of financial transactions. Margadarsis are free to choose the families they wish to support, and once both parties are comfortable, government personnel will facilitate their interaction. The initiative is being positioned as a transformative model, one that could redefine poverty alleviation in India. To ensure long-term impact, the state is also working on improving the delivery of basic amenities—providing house sites, sanitation, LPG connections, reliable power, high-speed internet, and even incentives for entrepreneurship. A 'P4 Society' with Naidu as its chairperson and deputy CM Pawan Kalyan as vice-chairperson is being established to oversee statewide implementation, with chapters at the district, assembly constituency and village secretariat levels. These will comprise industry leaders, philanthropists, CSR heads and civil society organisations as well. Naidu has high expectations. 'So far, no plan of mine has failed,' he asserts. 'By next Ugadi, we will assess progress and, by 2029, Margadarsis should uplift all Bangaru Kutumbams out of poverty through a structured and scalable model.'But the initiative has also sparked debate. While Naidu presents P4 as a 'game-changer', critics see it as an abdication of state responsibility. The opposition Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) has dismissed it as an extension of Naidu's pro-privatisation stance. 'Naidu's P4 initiative is aimed at avoiding responsibility and masking his inability to fulfil the 'super six' poll promises,' says YSRCP leader A. Rambabu. 'The man who claimed to create wealth now entrusts poverty alleviation to the wealthy, exposing his manipulative politics.'advertisementOthers see merit in the approach but caution against its challenges. 'Naidu has set high expectations as a visionary. But achieving zero poverty is easier said than done,' says B.V. Muralidhar, a political scientist at Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. 'It's not easy to achieve, considering the diverse stand of political parties.' The scale and ambition of P4 are unprecedented, but whether it thrives or flounders will depend on sustained engagement from the private sector and civil society. If successful, it could establish Telugu people as 'global role models in philanthropy', in Naidu's words. If not, it risks becoming another well-intended but impractical policy, lost in the complexities of political and economic to India Today MagazineMust Watch
