Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday indicated that the state government would roll out a special population management campaign from June. During the cabinet meeting held on Thursday, Naidu told his colleagues about his plans to introduce a new scheme titled "Children as Wealth" to encourage population balance.
Under the proposed scheme, special incentives will be provided for the third child, and all welfare schemes will be extended to families with three or more children, Naidu told the ministers.
Naidu also directed ministers to actively counter what he described as misinformation being spread by the YSRCP over Amaravati construction costs and ministers' foreign study tours. He said allegations claiming that capital construction costs were excessive were false and asserted that Amaravati works were being executed at costs lower than comparable projects elsewhere. He asked ministers to give clear and timely responses to such false allegations.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the government's handling of criticism on petrol and diesel shortage issues, Naidu said ministers were not responding firmly enough when the government was being cornered with misinformation on fuel-related matters.
Study tours must deliver results: CM
The chief minister asked his colleagues to pay special attention to issues being faced by the people during the summer season, particularly drinking water and irrigation supply, reservoir levels, and maintenance of canals and tanks. He urged them to remain accessible and continuously engage with the public.
Naidu also advised ministers to improve their basic understanding of IT and artificial intelligence. Referring to the recent Singapore visit by the ministers, he said study tours should translate into tangible benefits for the state. He asked ministers to make presentations on their learnings and how they could be adapted locally.
Recalling past practice, Naidu said he encouraged such exposure visits earlier also but made it clear that "going and returning is not enough" and that every tour must result in outcomes beneficial to Andhra Pradesh.
