Data-driven governance will shape future policymaking: AP CM Naidu
Tirupati, July 2 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said data-driven decision-making, technology and efficient governance would define public administration in the coming years, asserting that economic growth must ultimately translate into an improved quality of life for people.
Addressing a two-day State-level workshop on “Economic Intelligence for Governance”, organised by the Planning Department as part of the Swarna Andhra-2047 Vision, Naidu said governance should be guided by evidence-based policymaking rather than conventional approaches.
Though he had studied economics, Naidu said he had learnt more from society and people’s experiences than from textbooks.
“The purpose of analysing indicators such as Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is not merely to track economic growth, but to understand how that growth improves the lives of the poor,” he said.
Recalling the launch of Vision-2020, the Chief Minister said the initiative was conceived by anticipating future opportunities and challenges despite initial criticism.
He noted that former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had also advocated a long-term national vision for development.
Naidu said the information technology revolution had transformed the global economy and observed that data had become a critical economic resource, making data-driven governance indispensable for the future.
To strengthen governance, he said the State government is creating a State Data Lake to integrate information from all government departments on a single platform.
He also announced that health records are being digitised under the Sanjeevani Project to improve healthcare delivery.
The Chief Minister said attracting private investment remains a key pillar of the Swarna Andhra-2047 Vision, while highlighting the P4 initiative, which seeks to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by encouraging successful individuals to contribute to society.
Referring to beneficiaries of welfare schemes in Gudur, Naidu said government interventions and women’s self-help group initiatives had significantly improved the lives of economically weaker families.
During an interactive session, the Chief Minister urged officials to avoid complacency, embrace innovation and make greater use of technology.
He said meaningful development could be achieved only through collective effort and called upon officials to focus on nation-building.
Naidu also announced that Amaravati would soon host a Quantum Computer, adding that the State aims to develop indigenous capabilities for manufacturing quantum computing systems in the future.
Describing himself as a lifelong student, he invited economists, policy experts and professionals to contribute innovative ideas to improve governance and people’s lives.
The workshop featured panel discussions by Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India; Dr. R. Balasubramaniam; Prof. K.V. Raju; members of NITI Aayog; and Prof. S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.
The experts lauded several governance initiatives undertaken by the Andhra Pradesh government, including constituency-wise Vision Plans, the P4 programme, village-level data collection and the use of artificial intelligence in governance.
TNT KM
