Naidu Sets October 2, 2026 Deadline for Plastic-Free Andhra Pradesh
Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu has set October 2, 2026 as the deadline for making Andhra Pradesh plastic-free. “After this date, plastic should not appear anywhere in the state,” he said.
The CM has set clear milestones for this purpose. There should be no garbage on the roads after January 26. Garbage collection should be initiated at the household level in rural and urban areas by February 15. Separation of dry and wet waste must be fully ensured by October 2, 2026.
Naidu began his day in Anakapalli by meeting sanitation workers and visiting a compost production facility before addressing a public meeting as part of the Swachh Andhra – Swarna Andhra (SASA) programme. The Prime Minister underlined that SASA is not only a campaign but also a lifestyle transformation initiative.
“We process waste into energy every day in our facilities, recycling and compost units. Our target is to produce compost in 10 lakh village households. People can compost their household waste and grow vegetables. Kitchen gardens should be established wherever possible.”
Naidu pointed out that 25 Swachh Rathams (garbage collection vehicles) are currently operating across the state. 100 more rathams will be launched soon. Each old district will receive six to eight vehicles. He asked citizens to give up their habit of throwing their household waste on roads and instead separate it at household level.
Congratulating the sanitation workers and green ambassadors, the CM described them as “real soldiers” of the Swachh movement comprising waste management, recycling, composting and sanitation services. He cited the Andhra Pradesh Circular Economy and Waste Recycling Policy 2025 as an important step in turning waste into wealth.
Naidu announced the awarding of 69 state-level and 1,257 district-level Swachh Andhra Awards in 21 categories to recognize outstanding contributions towards keeping the start clean. He expressed his happiness that cleaning workers reported that social awareness about the separation of dry and wet waste has increased.
Coming back to politics, the Prime Minister attacked YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. “Those who squandered Rs 500 million on the Rushikonda Palace project are now spreading a poisonous campaign against our government,” he said. Instead, he said, the money could be used to open public medical colleges.
Naidu compared this to his government’s efforts to establish medical colleges under the PPP model. He accused the YSRC of obstructing progress by filing cases against land allocation to IT companies and challenging the recruitment of police officers in court.
The CM highlighted that while his government is trying to position Visakhapatnam as a global hub for artificial intelligence, data centers and yoga, dissidents are spreading malicious propaganda. “Despite the obstacles, my government will not back down from its development goals,” he continued.
