VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has emphasised the importance of teamwork and collective responsibility, declaring that governance should be driven by the principle of ‘not I, but we.’
Addressing the 7th District Collectors’ Conference at the Secretariat, he said he would personally adopt the usage of ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ to reinforce the idea that development is a shared effort.
The Chief Minister noted that learning is a continuous process and urged officials to adopt best practices from across the world.
He cited Singapore’s governance model, which has earned public trust, and proposed that Andhra Pradesh implement those policies in one district as a pilot project. A 90-day action plan will be prepared to monitor the rollout of Singapore-inspired practices.
Naidu stressed that investments, welfare, and development are possible only through collective effort. “If everyone owns each programme and works together, government services will be more successful,” he said.
He pointed out that decisions on Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth will directly impact people’s lives, and collectors must focus on innovation to drive progress.
He highlighted variations in district-level development, noting that tribal districts like Parvathipuram and Alluri show different outcomes. In Alluri, value addition to coffee crops has boosted GSDP significantly.
The CM urged collectors to concentrate on service sector growth, leverage rare earth mineral resources, and encourage competition in implementing best policies. He advised collectors to foster competition not only at the state level but also among constituencies within districts.
He stressed the importance of utilising the experience of field-level officers, who hold valuable local knowledge. “If grassroots officials are engaged effectively, welfare delivery will improve, development will accelerate, and innovative ideas can be implemented,” he explained.
Tourism was identified as a key growth driver, with Chandrababu suggesting the development of beach fronts at Suryalanka, Manginapudi, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, and Maipadu to generate local opportunities. He also pointed out that new national highways would create fresh prospects for logistics hubs and townships.
The CM reminded collectors that technology has reduced their administrative burden compared to earlier times when larger districts required oversight of 21 constituencies. Now, each collector manages only seven constituencies, giving them greater scope to deliver welfare and development effectively. “With technology at your disposal, you have more opportunities than ever before to perform better and achieve faster progress,” he concluded.
