CM pledges to uplift 20 lakh poor families through P4 initiative

Vehemently criticises leaders with criminal backgrounds, likening their removal to 'sweeping out dirt from a house'

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Tirupati

CHIEF Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday unveiled a comprehensive development agenda for the State, emphasising a commitment to public hygiene, technological innovation, and a decisive purge of criminal elements from politics. He also set a target to make the Secretariat plastic-free by August 15 and extend the ban to all municipalities by October, implementing a statewide ban by December.

Addressing the gathering in Tirupati's 'Swarna Andhra-Swachh Andhra' programme, Naidu articulated his vision for 'Swarnandhra Pradesh' (Golden Andhra Pradesh) through 'Swachhandhra Pradesh' (Clean Andhra Pradesh), drawing parallels with Japan's renowned cleanliness culture. The Chief Minister expressed pride in Andhra Pradesh securing five Swachh Survekshan national awards, underscoring the importance of collective responsibility in maintaining cleanliness.

Emphasising promoting reusable items such as steel glasses and raising awareness among government employees to lead by example, he urged citizens to 'chase away the plastic ghost,' promoting recycling and the concept of 'waste not being waste'.

On the occasion, Naidu outlined several ambitious projects aimed at propelling Andhra Pradesh into a new era of development. A 'Quantum Valley' will be established in Amaravati, focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and aiming to make the capital a hub for quantum technology. Additionally, a 'Green Hydrogen Valley' will be established for clean electricity production, leveraging green hydrogen to combat pollution. Furthermore, a weather information app is slated for launch to provide advanced weather information to the public. By August 15, approximately 700 government services will be accessible through WhatsApp Governance (Mana Mitra), streamlining public interaction with the administration.