Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has reiterated demanding “Special Category Status” to the State as the Modi Government is extending SCS to other States against the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission. “If you (GOI) are extending special status to other States, we also demand the same for Andhra Pradesh as promised in the Rajya Sabha”, Naidu reopened the closed demand in his recent public meetings.

Even in Kia Motors inauguration function also, held on Thursday in Erranancha Village of Anantapur District, Naidu has categorically demanded SCS to Andhra Pradesh. “I demand the Union Government to respect AP Reorganisation Act and to implement the promises given by the then Prime Minister in the Rajya Sabha”, and suggested the present Prime Minister Modi to honor them.

“The leadership at the Central Government shall not undermine and underestimate the self respect of the Andhra people. There is enough evidence in the last elections. They buried 125 years old Congress Party which did merciless injustice to Andhra at the time of Bifurcation. The Centra Leadership shall keep in mind. We will fight until the correction to the injustice done in Union Budget. We will resort to any sacrifice for justice to Telugu people”, Naidu, without any hesitation, keep on giving pre-alerts to the NDA Government in his recent public meetings.

On Friday, The Chief Minister felicitated participants of a Joint Certificate Programme called Digital Transformation in Public Governance, supported by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and ISB. He attended the Graduation Ceremony of 96 officers from 51 departments.

“Because of e-Pragati, ministries, departments and all officers are under scrutiny. In our recent review meetings, the number of days to dispose a file has become a matter of competition between secretaries as well as Ministers. The next goal is to ensure qualitative disposal. We compete with World only to transform AP as the best State in the world with new and disruptive technologies”, he said during his address.

He also spoke about the goal of ensuring that every family in AP will have one digitally literate person. “Technology is constantly changing, and I want the people of my State to have easy access to it.”

The Chief Minister congratulated all the participating officers, and lauded the efforts of the faculty at ISB, which ensured more than 90% attendance for lessons that were taught using case studies, technological tools and other non-traditional methods of teaching.

The ceremony was also attended by IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Civil Supplies Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao, Welfare Minister Nakka Ananda Babu, Dean of ISB, Professor Raj Srivastava and Executive Director of SRITNE Professor Deepa Mani.

In his address, IT Minister Nara Lokesh urged officials of all departments to participate in this transition to seamless, paperless and real-time governance. “Data should be democratised, which leads to transparency of the State, and the fulfilment of the vision: Visible Governance and Invisible Government.”

The welcome remarks were made by N. Balasubramanyam, CEO of e-Pragati, and Principal Secretary (IT) K. Vijayanand and Gautam Sawang, Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada.