Minister P. Narayana addressing a workshop at Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur on Monday.
| Photo Credit: T. Vijaya Kumar
Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, P. Narayana, outlined an ambitious vision to transform Andhra Pradesh into “a State with the best municipal infrastructure in the country”.
Speaking at a State-level workshop organised by the Municipal Department at Nagarjuna University Auditorium in Guntur on Monday, Mr. Narayana said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has set a three-year target for ensuring comprehensive urban development.
“Providing all basic amenities to urban residents is a priority. Under the Chief Minister’s directives, we aim to achieve full-scale implementation of drinking water supply, drainage systems, solid waste management, streetlights, and roads within three years,” Mr. Narayana said.
He added that the Municipal Department will finalise detailed plans for these initiatives by January.
The Minister highlighted the ambitious goal of supplying 135 litres of drinking water per person per day across all municipalities. However, he criticised the previous administration for not releasing matching funds for Central government schemes, which delayed infrastructure projects. “Had the matching funds been released earlier, all municipalities would already have these facilities in place,” he remarked.
Mr. Narayana also announced that, starting next April, municipal funds would be directly allocated to municipalities, empowering local bodies to manage their resources efficiently. Municipal Commissioners, engineers, and other officials were instructed to work proactively to meet these targets.
The workshop, attended by senior officials, including MA&UD Secretary K. Kanna Babu, MEPMA Managing Director Tej Bharat, and other officials from all the municipalities and corporations in the State, emphasised collaboration and accountability. “The State government is committed to setting an example in urban governance and aims to position Andhra Pradesh as a model for municipal excellence in India,” Mr. Narayana said.
“By implementing these measures, we will elevate Andhra Pradesh’s municipalities to the top-tier in the nation,” the Minister concluded.
Published – December 24, 2024 04:12 am IST