At the pre-budget workshop the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister told them to give priority to welfare schemes.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked the officials to prioritise welfare schemes and development to ensure that the State government delivered all promises made in election manifesto.

The budget for the next financial year should be reoriented, if need be, to serve the needs of the people in the immediate term and at the same time, striking a balance in expenditure with a focus on long term development. The State, he said, clocked 6.94 per cent growth in the first two quarters of the current financial year and the administration should take a new direction in ensuring result oriented approach.

Mr. Naidu was addressing a pre-budget workshop organised here on Wednesday. Secretaries, heads of departments, collectors and superintendents of police were among those who participated in the conference.

Stressing the need for convergence of the departments, the Chief Minister said that the departments could no more work in isolation. Every department should work with a focused approach and at the same time, they should ensure that their efforts were synchronized with other departments to ensure that the Government achieves its goal of making the State as one of the top three performing states in the country by 2022.

The government had a vision to make the State a favourite destination across the globe by 2050. To achieve this ambitious objective, the government prepared seven missions, five grids and five campaign modes. The latest programmes such as Smart Village-Smart Ward were a step in this direction. Every official, including Chief Secretary, was expected to adopt a village to make smart villages and smart wards.

Stating that there would not be any additional funds for smart village programme, the Chief Minister said: “Don’t try to wield your influence for release of funds.” The smart village-smart ward concept envisaged development of these areas in line with 20 non-negotiable growth indicators.

There were many challenges faced by the new State, including construction of Capital city. “It is an inspiring time for all of us to make concerted efforts. Boosting up agriculture and its allied sectors, horticulture, poultry and fisheries are some sectors that have been identified for accelerated growth,” he said, adding that the Government had plans for taking up inter-linking of rivers, promote tourism, develop inland waterways and increase port connectivity.

Referring to the election manifesto, Mr. Naidu said, “It is an important document for us. Our credibility and trustworthiness depend upon how best we translate our promises into reality. All our efforts should be towards fulfilling the promises made to the people.”

Deputy Chief Ministers K E Krishna Murthy and Nimmakayala Chinna Rajappa, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramkrishnudu, ministers, chief secretary IYR Krishna Rao and others were present.