6 Months of NDA in AP – What is done and What needs to be done

It has been exactly six months since NDA coalition led by TDP president Chandrababu Naidu and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan with the support of Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government in Andhra Pradesh after securing a landslide victory against YSR Congress party in the 2024 general assembly elections.

When seasoned politician Chandrababu Naidu took charge of the beleaguered state as the Chief Minister, there were high expectations among the people and huge challenges upfront for his government. In these six months, Naidu and his government delivered on numerous promises made before the polls. But, there are many more to be fulfilled.

Let’s us find out the progress report of Naidu’s refine for these six months. What are the achievements and what needs to be improved ?

Enhancement of Pension : Naidu kept his primary promise on the first day of coming to power by enhancing the social security pension from Rs 3000 to 4000 with a single signature. While Jagan took five years to increase the pension by 1000 rupees from the existing Rs 2000 per month, Naidu raised it to Rs 4000 and also gave arrears immediately after taking oath.

Restoring the glory of Amaravati : How Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government turned the ambitious city of Amaravati into a ghost city due to political reasons is a known news. With the return of Naidu to the helm, the revival of Amaravati is just a matter of time as so many activities took shape in these six months. The putative capital city received a big boost in the form of financial support of 15000 crores from the central government.

Special Focus on Vizag and Steel Plant: Jagan was promoted as the executive capital of the state during Jagan’s tenure. But, there is hardly any development in the last five years. Naidu is walking the talk with his vision towards Vizag as he wants to project it as the next software hub in the country akin to that of Hyderabad. Technology companies like TCS and Google have already announced their operations in Vizag very soon.

As promised during the elections, the NDA government has stalled the move towards privatization of Vizag Steel Plant by the centre. This is one of the biggest achievements for Naidu’s government because the previous dispensation ignored the interests of its employees and didn’t put any pressure on the centre to withdraw its plan.

Cleaning of Canals : The present government has undertaken numerous activities across the state to cleanse canals and to provide fresh drinking water to the public.

Anna Canteens : The resumption of noble scheme ‘Anna Canteens’, which provides meals for the needy at a nominal price, is the most welcomed decision by all across the state irrespective of political affiliations. Credit to Naidu for reviving the scheme within a few days after coming to power. More than 200 canteens were opened across the state and being run efficiently.

Crackdown on Social Media : The biggest victory for Naidu’s government in these six months is the clampdown of abusive and hate campaigns on social media platforms. After Pawan Kalyan flagged the issue, the state government swung into action and took strict measures to crack a strong whip on derogatory remarks and slanderous posts on various platforms.

Keeping aside the achievements in these six months, there are some key issues which needs to be improved.

Cases in scams commitee by previous government: After the NDA government came to power, numerous scams done in the last five years pertaining to illegal mining, irregularities in sale of liquor, encroachment of lands, corruption in revenue department, bribes in Power sector etc. have been unearthed. But, there is no firm action taken by the government on the offenders. None of the ministers and leaders who were involved in these malpractices were arrested so far. The government need to take a strict action to restore faith in the public.

Development of Roads : One of the most neglected aspect in the last five years was repairs to roads. Jagan’s government faced severe backlash for not even carrying out the maintenance works and also for not filling up the potholes. Now, Naidu’s government has an uphill task to lay roads all over the state. He promised to make pothole free Andhra Pradesh by Sankranthi this year.

Sand Policy remains controversial: Despite change in government, the flip-flops in sand policy continue as there is no transparency and affordability in supply of sand to the commoners. The present government has been facing criticism for its inability to restrict the middlemen culture and acute corruption due to involvement of local leaders and MLAs. This is one major issue that has been creating headache for Naidu and his cabinet. He will need to address it effectively and take measures beyond issuing warning to his MLAs.

Implementation of Super Six schemes : The Super Six agenda played an instrumental role in bringing Naidu to power in the elections. So, there is huge pressure on the NDA government to implement the poll promises. Schemes like 20 Lakh jobs, Amma Vadi, free bus travel for women, cash transfer to unemployed youth and women population etc are yet to be rolled out. This has become a weapon for the YSRCP to attack the ruling government.

Besides these, there are more challenges for Chandrababu Naidu and his government in the coming days. He should strike a balance between development and welfare to win the trust of the people. Completion of Capital city Amaravati, Polavaram Project, Bhogapuram Airport, attracting investments and creation of wealth are the targets ahead for him.