Collectors must take coalition govt’s vision to the grassroots: Dy CM Pawan

Calling for unwavering commitment from the district administration, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday urged district collectors to work with dedication to ensure that the coalition government’s development agenda reaches people at the grassroots level. Emphasising that rural and tribal development is a top priority for the government, he asked officials to act with greater enthusiasm and accountability.

Pawan Kalyan was speaking at the fifth Collectors’ Conference held at the Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. As Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Forests and Environment, the Deputy Chief Minister issued clear directions on several key policy and implementation issues.

He lauded collectors for completing the works taken up under Palle Panduga 1.0 within stipulated timelines. “Through this programme, the government has successfully laid 4,000 km of cement roads in villages, established 22,500 mini Gokulams to support farmers, constructed 15,000 water troughs and developed 1.2 lakh farm ponds,” Pawan Kalyan said, terming it a milestone in rural infrastructure creation.

Highlighting the impact of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), he said that in the 2025–26 financial year, employment was provided to 41.12 lakh families and wages worth ₹4,330 crore were paid, giving a major boost to the rural economy.

The Deputy Chief Minister underlined the importance of the Adavi Thalli Bata programme aimed at providing road connectivity to remote tribal habitations. He specifically appreciated the collectors of Parvathipuram Manyam and Alluri districts for their proactive role in securing forest clearances, with Parvathipuram Manyam achieving 100 per cent approvals.

Pawan Kalyan also expressed pride over Andhra Pradesh securing the top position nationally under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for training Panchayat Raj personnel. He instructed officials to focus on digitising tax collection to enhance the revenue base of gram panchayats. Referring to sanitation initiatives, he noted that the Swachha Ratham programme, which began with a single unit in June, has now expanded to 25 units with encouraging results.

Babu pats Pawan for quick decision making

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu showered praise on Pawan Kalyan’s administrative performance, stating that despite coming from a different professional background, the Deputy Chief Minister had demonstrated exceptional governance capabilities. Citing a recent incident, the Chief Minister recalled that during the distribution of appointment letters to 5,757 newly recruited constables, one constable raised the issue of lack of a proper road to his village. “Pawan Kalyan responded immediately, spoke to officials on the spot and sanctioned Rs. 3.90 crore for the road construction right from the venue,” Naidu said, describing it as an example of decisive and responsive governance.