VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to ensure that petitions and grievances are resolved promptly, combining technological integration with a human touch to win public confidence.
Addressing the second day of the 7th District Collectors’ Conference, he reviewed file clearance systems, grievance redressal, Data Lake, Aware, and WhatsApp governance, warning against negligence and stressing accountability and compassion.
He cited complaints that some collectors were allegedly taking petitions from citizens and discarding them in their cars, making it clear that such practices must stop and that credibility is built only by resolving grievances swiftly and transparently.
The Chief Minister appreciated the significant improvement in e-file clearance timelines, noting that average disposal time has reduced from nearly ten days to about two days over the past three months. He commended Chief Secretary Sai Prasad for clearing large volumes of files within ten hours and congratulated ministers, collectors, SPs, and secretaries for accelerating processes.
He directed officials to further increase speed, eliminate manual files, and ensure e-files are cleared within 24 hours, with performance monitoring continuing regularly.
Naidu emphasised that governance requires both efficiency and empathy, and that technology must be used to simplify administration without losing the human touch.
To strengthen the Public Grievance Redressal System (PGRS), Naidu announced that a dedicated platform similar to Praja Darbar would soon be introduced, drawing inspiration from Singapore’s grievance redressal model. Public representatives and officials must jointly resolve complaints, including at the mandal level.
He declared that every Friday will be observed as ‘Field Grievance Day,’ with collectors requiring to visit each constituency four times a month, treating grievance redressal as a goodwill mission.
He also instructed that video conferences be restricted to a single day to maximise field engagement and ensure officials spend more time directly interacting with citizens.
Naidu emphasised that online delivery of government services would help reduce corruption, misuse, and delays. He noted that nearly 90 percent of services are already available through WhatsApp Governance platforms, with 29 lakh citizens trained, and directed that all services be integrated by December.
Awareness campaigns should target families without smartphones, which account for 34 percent of households. He stressed that online services not only save time but also prevent misuse of manual touchpoints, thereby improving transparency and accountability in governance.
On disaster preparedness, the Chief Minister instructed officials to perfect storm and lightning warning systems, ensuring direct mobile alerts and dissemination through Swarna Gram and ward networks.
Coastal collectors were asked to promote seaweed cultivation, while Urban Development Authorities were told to crack down on illegal constructions, ensuring municipalities and semi-urban areas remain free of unauthorised structures. .
Naidu directed the IT Department to consolidate multiple websites and dashboards into a single platform.
Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh announced that a statewide KPI-based dashboard will be launched within 90 days, enabling daily target tracking and real-time decision-making across departments.