CM sets October 2 deadline for garbage-free Andhra

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday unveiled a massive ₹15,274-crore urban infrastructure programme and set an ambitious target of making the state garbage-free by October 2, calling for active public participation to transform Andhra Pradesh into a clean, sustainable and prosperous state.

Participating in the 18th edition of the Swarna Andhra–Swachh Andhra programme in Gudivada, the Chief Minister virtually launched public health and municipal engineering projects across 120 Urban Local Bodies. He also inaugurated eight Waste-to-Energy plants at Nellore, Kondapalli, Bethamcherla, Kamalapuram, Badvel, Yeleswaram, Narsipatnam and Peddapuram, presented Operation Clean Sweep Awards, released a coffee table book on the initiative, and reviewed the online works monitoring system.

Addressing the gathering, Naidu said cleanliness extends beyond sweeping roads and must become a people’s movement focused on environmental conservation, public health and sustainable living. He urged citizens to adopt a net-zero lifestyle by reducing waste generation, practising carbon-neutral living and promoting rainwater harvesting to recharge groundwater.

Highlighting the government’s sanitation drive, the Chief Minister said 140 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste had already been cleared, while 126 electric autos were deployed for door-to-door garbage collection, with another 1,104 e-autos to be added soon. The government will also establish waste management facilities at a cost of ₹528 crore to strengthen scientific waste disposal.

Naidu said the state continued to invest heavily in sewage treatment plants, drinking water systems, drainage networks and lake restoration to improve urban infrastructure. Stressing that public participation is key to achieving a clean Andhra Pradesh, he urged every citizen to take responsibility for keeping their neighbourhoods free of garbage.

On welfare, the Chief Minister announced that financial assistance under the Talliki Vandanam scheme would be credited to beneficiaries bank accounts between July 22 and July 24. He also announced financial support for Anganwadi workers and sanitation personnel engaged in the Swachh Andhra programme.

The Chief Minister reiterated his government’s commitment to transparency, good governance and zero tolerance towards corruption. Referring to recent incidents involving crimes against women, he said the law would be enforced equally, irrespective of political affiliation, and pointed to the swift suspension and arrest of a ruling party worker accused in the recent Guntur assault case as evidence that no one would receive political protection.

Naidu also highlighted the importance of the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, stating that despite a 48 per cent rainfall deficit this year, the project has ensured irrigation water for the Krishna Delta. He said nearly 450 TMC of Godavari water had been diverted through Pattiseema over the years, generating agricultural wealth worth an estimated ₹50,000 crore, and reiterated the government’s long-term vision of interlinking rivers across Andhra Pradesh to eliminate drought permanently.