TIRUPATI: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday participated in the Prajavedika public meeting in Kuppam on the second day of his tour of the constituency.
Addressing the gathering, Naidu alleged that the State was ‘misruled’ for five years, during which public property and resources were misused. Referring to the controversial Land Titling Act, he described it as a ‘black law’ that deprived people of their right to approach local courts and restricted their land rights.
He said his government has repealed the Act and has begun correcting errors in earlier land surveys. He added that tamper-proof Pattadar Passbooks are now being issued using modern technology.
Naidu said the AP coalition government has launched a large-scale administrative cleanup to address ‘legacy issues’ left behind by the previous YSRCP government. He alleged that during the previous regime, the State’s resources and citizens’ property rights were severely compromised.
Referring to the controversy over photo-engraved granite survey stones, the Chief Minister said that around `700 crore of public money was spent to engrave the former Chief Minister’s photograph on nearly 7.5 million survey stones. He said critics had termed this a case of ‘self-promotional obsession’, where personal branding was prioritised over genuine development and infrastructure.
Highlighting welfare initiatives, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh is providing pensions to the poor on a scale unmatched by any other State in the country. He stated that pensions worth `2,730 crore are being distributed every month, compared to about `315 crore in Tamil Nadu and `392 crore in Karnataka. He urged people to reflect on the level of welfare support being extended to the poor in Andhra Pradesh.
He said the ‘Super Six’ welfare schemes have become a major success. Emphasising women empowerment, the Chief Minister said women’s participation must increase in all sectors. He recalled that the Telugu Desam Party has consistently prioritised women’s rights, noting that NT Rama Rao had granted equal property rights to women. He added that 33 per cent reservation for women has already been implemented in jobs and education, and that similar reservation in legislative bodies is on the way, which would lead to more women becoming MPs and MLAs in the future.
On water resources, Naidu said Kuppam has become water-rich even without good rainfall this year, as all tanks have been filled with Krishna water through the Handri-Neeva canal.
Referring to Anantapur district, he said it was once drought-prone but has now become a model for water conservation due to projects like Handri-Neeva and the construction of nearly 10 lakh check dams.
He assured that all Rayalaseema irrigation projects, including Handri-Neeva and Galeru-Nagari, would be completed. He added that Rayalaseema has emerged as a horticulture hub, with horticulture cultivation spread over 20 lakh acres, and plans are in place to double this area and achieve large-scale production in the coming years.
The Chief Minister also announced that the Sanjeevani Project, which was successfully pilot-tested in Kuppam, will be implemented across the State by late 2026.