State can achieve 15% growth rate by focusing on water, jobs and farming: Chandrababu Naidu

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed confidence that the State can achieve a growth rate of 15% by focusing on optimum utilization of water resources, employment generation and increasing agricultural productivity through adoption of modern technologies where necessary.

Mr. Naidu urged officials that best practices in management should be implemented at the district level to ensure better management so that people are satisfied.

Delivering the keynote address at the two-day Collectors’ Conference held at the Secretariat on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Mr. Naidu said the ‘speed of achieving governance’ was crucial and public representatives played an important role in achieving the objectives.

Mr. Naidu said that feedback has been received from the public and unless the issues raised by them are addressed promptly and their issues are resolved, the government cannot make meaningful progress. He observed that the government is constantly monitoring the Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to make necessary corrections and asserted that this can only be possible if officials from the grassroots to Tahsildars discharge their duties effectively.

Mr. Naidu also stressed that officials should clear files immediately for smooth administration and that a proper working culture is needed in the government. It was common in the Revenue Administration for files to be forwarded to others without being resolved. He said this must change otherwise people will face difficulties and ordered that decisions be taken through data-driven management.

The government has revived several Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) which had become obsolete due to the negligence of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Government. Mr. Naidu said the government has given equal importance to development and prosperity and has fulfilled all the important promises made to the people ahead of the 2024 elections. He claimed at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit held in Visakhapatnam last month that investments worth ₹ 11.20 lakh crore have been secured as the state’s brand image has been revived by the coalition government.

Mr. Naidu said medical colleges built under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model will function as government colleges and will be regulated by the government, so it is wrong to say that these colleges are in the process of privatization.

“The YSRCP Government increased loans at high interest rates (up to 14%), which caused tremendous pressure on the State’s finances. We are now easing this burden by rescheduling loans,” Mr. Naidu added.