CM Naidu proposes Singapore governance model for one district in Andhra

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday proposed adopting Singapores best administrative practices in one district as a pilot model and directed officials to prepare a 90-day action plan for implementation. We should adopt Singapores best governance practices by developing one district as a model and implement them through a focused 90-day action plan, he said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday proposed adopting Singapore's best administrative practices in one district as a pilot model and directed officials to prepare a 90-day action plan for implementation. Addressing the seventh collectors conference at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister stressed the need to adopt a collective ''We'' mindset instead of an individualistic ''Me'' approach, drawing inspiration from Singapore's governance philosophy. ''We should adopt Singapore's best governance practices by developing one district as a model and implement them through a focused 90-day action plan,'' he said. Naidu said that everyone should move away from an individualistic mindset, and he too would replace the word ''I'' with ''We'' in his public discourse. The CM said learning is a continuous process and adopting best practices from anywhere in the world can deliver strong outcomes in governance, administration and development. Highlighting the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), Naidu said decisions taken today would have a long-term impact on the people of the state and pointed to regional disparities in development. Referring to tribal districts, the CM said Alluri Sitharama Raju district achieved higher GSDP than Parvathipuram Manyam due to value addition in coffee cultivation. Emphasising innovation-led growth, Naidu said the service sector should expand further and Andhra Pradesh contributes nearly 10 percent of the country's agricultural output. Noting that several districts possess rare earth mineral resources, he said processing plants linked to these minerals could create new industrial opportunities and economic growth avenues. According to Naidu, the government is studying the role of district collectors in driving GSDP growth and encouraged officials to come up with innovative development ideas. He cited the collector of Annamayya district as an example of proactive administration and urged collectors to compete in implementing best policies. Further, Naidu suggested healthy competition among collectors and constituencies to accelerate development, welfare delivery and implementation of innovative ideas. The Chief Minister said field-level officers possess immense experience and valuable information, noting that effective utilisation of their expertise could improve governance outcomes and speed up development. Underlining the importance of tourism-led growth, Naidu said developing beach fronts at Suryalanka, Manginapudi, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Mypadu could create significant livelihood opportunities for local communities. He also said that new national highways would generate fresh economic opportunities by enabling logistics hubs and townships. Further, the Chief Minister ordered district collectors to make effective use of vision units and said district administration had become more manageable after the reorganisation of districts. Earlier, collectors in larger districts had to oversee up to 21 assembly constituencies and now each collector oversees only about seven Assembly constituencies, he said Naidu. With technology now widely available, the CM said district collectors have greater opportunities than before to improve governance, accelerate development and deliver welfare effectively. Further, Naidu highlighted the government's district-level review exercise covering all 28 districts, describing it as a governance and accountability mechanism focused on administrative delivery, constituency monitoring and public grievance redressal. The statewide review process, which began on February 12 and concluded this week, brought together MLAs, MPs, district collectors and superintendents of police to review development works, law and order, governance and coordination between elected representatives and officials. Each review meeting focused on field-level realities and public feedback instead of conventional administrative presentations. The chief minister assessed legislators on accessibility to people, grievance redressal, public image, coordination with officials and grassroots engagement. Naidu handed over sealed performance assessment reports to legislators, prepared using surveys, field feedback and data analytics covering constituency management, cadre coordination and leadership behaviour. Legislators were also cautioned against any direct or indirect association with controversial local activities related to sand, liquor and gambling. More than 1,000 issues related to roads, irrigation, hospitals, RTC facilities, drinking water schemes, land disputes and pending infrastructure projects were raised during the reviews. In several cases, Naidu issued on-the-spot instructions to clear bottlenecks and speed up project execution, while the Chief Minister's Office has been tasked with monitoring implementation of decisions taken during the meetings. Nearly 15 percent of the issues discussed during the exercise have already moved into the execution stage. Naidu directed district collectors to encourage the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector, saying the increasing number of industries coming to Andhra Pradesh would create significant opportunities for ancillary industries and local manufacturing ecosystems. He said issues faced by companies investing in the state, particularly those related to land allocation, should be resolved immediately. He asked officials to remove APIIC lands falling under Section 22A from the prohibited list and instructed the Registration Department to clear such lands through the concerned Inspector Generals. The Chief Minister stressed that products from various districts should evolve into pan-India and global brands, similar to Araku Coffee, noting that improving quality and branding of Andhra Pradesh products would help retain income within the state economy. Referring to the possible impact of El Niño, Naidu cautioned that rainfall may remain below normal and instructed collectors to prepare water management plans, support dry land farming and ensure adequate fodder supply for livestock.