Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu has announced that he will adopt Araku gram panchayat in Visakhapatnam district and develop it as smart village under the new Smart Village, Ward and Smart Andhra Pradesh programme to be launched from West Godavari district on Sunday.
He also launched the websitewww.smart.ap.gov.into enable those willing to partner in the Smart AP programme register themselves and adopt a village, ward for its holistic development from Sunday.
It would also give socio-economic data related to each village and municipality.
He also disclosed the names of villages that each of his family members will be adopting under the new initiative towards the objective of smart Andhra Pradesh where each of 12,918 gram panchayats, 3,463 wards – total of 16,383 units will be developed in 20 non-negotiable parameters through partnership of people’s representatives, All India Service officers, Group I officers, Non-Resident Indians, Non-Resident Villages, Non Government Organisations, industrialists and celebrities with the active involvement of village and ward residents.
Addressing a media conference on the eve of launch of Smart Andhra Pradesh programme here on Saturday, Mr. Naidu said “Smart” was not in terms of technology alone but providing better standard of life to the poor- basic amenities, hygiene, education, health, livelihood, Mee Seva, promoting LED lights, solar power, water conservation, soil testing, greenery, bank accounts for every family and with emphasis on happiness through collective efforts.
The government departments would work in their respective spheres while convergence would happen at the unit level, the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Naidu said he would launch the programme from West Godavari with 18-km padayatra to create awareness on January 18 marking the 19{+t}{+h}death anniversary of Telugu Desam founder N.T. Rama Rao.
Describing it as a People’s Movement for Progress and Development, he said his goal was to create happy Andhra Pradesh through elimination of poverty and removal of economic disparities and urged people to become part of it.
Even if one lead partner- be it industrialist, NRI, celebrity donated Rs.10 lakh towards each adopted unit, it would create a fund of Rs.1,600 crore to achieve 20 non-negotiable parameters through collective efforts and the programme would result in unimaginable transformation of State.
