Andhra CM Naidu directs collectors to intensify ‘SwachAndhra’ campaign

Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu urged district collectors to intensify the ‘SwachAndhra’ campaign and make the State waste-free by January. The government also announced legacy waste clearance, circular economy parks, new waste-to-energy plants, and a quantum valley initiative

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed district collectors to continue the ‘SwachAndhra’ (clean Andhra) programme being implemented in the State.

Addressing the second day of the collectors’ conference at the secretariat, the Chief Minister directed the collectors to ensure that no waste is visible from January. “Continue the ‘SwachAndhra’ programme being implemented in the state on a campaign mode…From January, waste should not be visible anywhere,” said Naidu. He also instructed them to extend any programme initiated under the ‘SwachBharat’ programme to all parts of the State.

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Noting that circular economy policies were initiated, the CM said five circular economy parks will be set up in five zones. Further, Naidu said ratings will be given for various government services, as some are not improving, especially those pertaining to the Revenue Department.

The Andhra Pradesh government has launched an ambitious initiative to address the issue of legacy waste by clearing 86 lakh tonnes of old waste dumps by October 2. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar announced during the collectors’ conference.

He also said another 30 lakh tonnes of trash will be cleared by December. “The government has embarked on an ambitious plan to tackle legacy waste by clearing 85.90 lakh metric tonnes of old dumps by October 2, 2025, and an additional 30 lakh metric tonnes by December 2025,” said Kumar. Legacy waste refers to old municipal solid waste that has accumulated over many years in open dumpsites or landfills without proper treatment.

He said the reclaimed land will be reused productively, with recovered soil processed into compost and Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) supplied to cement factories. According to Kumar, waste-to-energy projects are already operational in Visakhapatnam and Guntur, converting hundreds of tonnes of municipal waste into power daily.

New plants are planned in Nellore, Rajahmundry, Kurnool, Kadapa, Vijayawada, and Tirupati, with six projects expected to be fully functional by 2027. On the wastewater front, the official said land acquisition is underway for 142 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), requiring 199 acres, to ensure treated water is safely reused in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Adopting a circular economy model would ensure environmental protection, optimal land use, water recycling, and resource efficiency, while also creating employment opportunities, he added.

As part of best practices, he informed that the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat was declared Single-Use Plastic (SUP) Free on August 15, while all district collectorates and government offices have been directed to achieve SUP-Free status by December 2025.

Meanwhile, IT secretary K Bhaskar instructed the collectors not to summon people to government offices for the issuance of certificates, saying they should be delivered through the WhatsApp governance initiative ‘Mana Mitra’. Calling ‘Mana Mitra’ a transformative tool, he said collectors must play a key role in making citizens fully utilise it.

Currently, 738 services are available through WhatsApp governance, with more to be added soon, said Bhaskar. Further, the IT secretary noted that IBM will set up two quantum computers in the Amaravati quantum valley by January 2026 and another three more by 2027.

He said efforts are underway to transform the southern state into a global quantum destination with the ambition of achieving quantum hardware exports worth Rs 5,000 crore. Similarly, he said, Andhra Pradesh aims to set up 100 startups in its quantum valley. According to Bhaskar, the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has allocated 50 acres for Quantum Valley.

He said the models for constructing a quantum valley building are ready, where up to 90,000 people could work. At the district level, collectors should play the role of ambassadors on quantum computing to raise awareness among people and students.

Further, he said the state is enhancing disaster preparedness and governance efficiency through (Real Time Governance System) RTGS Aware 2.0, advanced data systems, and innovation hubs.

To protect citizens from lightning and floods, automatic sirens are being installed at village secretariats, said Bhaskar, adding that a pilot project in one village has already shown excellent results, with sirens operating through ISRO satellite support even without mobile signals.

A centralized data lake with over six petabytes of data from government departments has been created, linked to a real-time Data Lens dashboard, he said. This tool enables Collectors to access district-level data instantly, eliminating duplication of efforts, added Bhaskar.