Data-driven decision-making will define governance in the future : CM

Experts praise several innovative governance initiatives being implemented in Andhra Pradesh

Learnt more from Society than economics textbooks : CM

Tirupati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that though he studied economics, he learnt more from society and the people than textbooks. He stressed that the true measure of development is not merely higher economic growth figures, but the extent to which that growth improves the lives of the poor. The Chief Minister said the government analyses key economic indicators such as Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) while ensuring that economic progress translates into improved living standards for people.

Addressing the two-day State-level workshop on “Economic Intelligence for Governance,” organised by the Planning department here today as part of the Swarna Andhra-2047 Vision initiative, he said data-driven governance, technology and efficient administration are essential to transform Andhra Pradesh into a strong and resilient economy. Recalling the launch of Vision-2020, Chandrababu Naidu said the initiative had initially faced criticism, but it was designed by anticipating future challenges and opportunities. He noted that former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had also emphasised the need for a national vision document. The Chief Minister said the IT revolution had transformed the world into a global village and that Andhra Pradesh had recognised early on the importance of leveraging the services sector for economic growth. Today, he said, data itself has become wealth and data-driven decision-making will define governance in the future. He said attracting private investment is as important as delivering efficient public services and therefore private investment has been made a key pillar of the Swarna Andhra-2047 Vision. He also announced that the government is creating a State data lake to integrate information from all government departments onto a single platform. The Chief Minister said health records are being fully digitised under the Sanjeevani Project to improve healthcare delivery across the State.

The Chief Minister said the P4 initiative was launched to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. The programme encourages those who have prospered through society’s support to contribute back to society. He reiterated that improving the quality of life of every family remains the government’s primary objective.

Speaking about inclusive development, Chandrababu Naidu referred to the lives of Tulasamma and Padmamma, whose pensions he had personally distributed in Gudur. He explained how government welfare programmes and DWCRA assistance had transformed their families. “The purpose of analysing GSDP and CAGR is not just to monitor statistics but to understand how these numbers are reflected in people’s lives,” he said.

During an interactive session with participants, Chandrababu Naidu said he is never easily satisfied, as complacency leads to stagnation. He encouraged officials to continuously explore new ideas, make effective use of technology and develop indigenous technological capabilities. The Chief Minister said meaningful development can only be achieved when everyone works towards a common goal. He urged participants to adopt the mindset of asking not what the country has done for them, but what they can do for the country.He also announced that Amaravati will soon host a Quantum Computer, adding that the State is taking steps to develop indigenous capabilities to manufacture quantum computing systems in the future.Describing himself as a lifelong student, Chandrababu Naidu urged economists, experts and professionals attending the workshop to offer innovative ideas for improving people’s lives.

The two-day workshop featured panel discussions involving Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India; Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India; Dr. R. Balasubramaniam and Prof. K.V. Raju; Members NITI Aayog and Prof. S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.

The experts praised several innovative governance initiatives being implemented in Andhra Pradesh, including the constituency-wise Vision Plans, the P4 programme, village-level data collection and the use of Artificial Intelligence in governance.