In a bid to empower economically weaker sections of society, the Andhra Pradesh government is set to launch the P4 initiative on Ugadi. The pioneering program, Public Philanthropic People Participation (P4), aims to provide additional support to the underprivileged beyond existing government welfare schemes. Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu chaired a departmental meeting at his Undavalli residence to discuss the framework and implementation of the initiative.

The core principle of the P4 initiative is to bridge the gap between affluent families and those in need. The Chief Minister emphasized the need for a systematic and long-term approach to ensure the initiative's success. To test the feasibility and effectiveness of the P4 model, the government has planned a pilot project in four villages, benefiting 5,869 families. Officials briefed the Chief Minister on the structured approach and the anticipated impact of the initiative before scaling it up to a broader level.

The eligibility criteria for P4 beneficiaries are determined through the GSWS database, household surveys, and village sabha verifications. Households owning more than two acres of irrigated land or five acres of dry land, government employees, income taxpayers, four-wheeler owners, those consuming over 200 units of electricity, and individuals with property in municipal areas are excluded from the program. Based on this rigorous verification process, approximately 4 million families have been identified as eligible for the initiative.

The first phase of the household survey began in 10 districts on February 20 and is scheduled to conclude by March 2, covering 5.2 million families. Of these, surveys for 2.7 million families have already been completed. The second phase, covering the remaining 16 districts, will commence on March 8 and conclude by March 18, targeting 7.6 million families. The initiative aims to provide supplementary support to existing government welfare programs, ensuring no disruption to the current beneficiaries.

Once the verification process is completed, the details of beneficiary families will be integrated into the ‘Samruddhi Bandhanam’ platform. The government's role in this initiative is limited to matchmaking, energizing, and tracking. There is no direct financial involvement by the state; instead, voluntary contributions from well-off families will be facilitated. Participation in the program remains entirely optional, free from any compulsion or pressure.

With Ugadi marking the official launch of P4, the government aims to integrate 500,000 families into the ‘Samruddhi Bandhanam’ framework by August 2025. The review meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence was attended by Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand, senior officials Piyush Kumar and Katamneni Bhaskar, along with officials from the Planning Department.