Visakhapatnam, Nov 13 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has stressed the need for ongoing engagement between governments and the public, saying leaders must address rising public aspirations.
He said leaders must regularly listen to public concerns, understand rising aspirations, and build trust through effective communication and delivery.
In a fireside chat hosted by journalist Palki Sharma on Friday on the second day of the 31st CII Partnership Summit here, he said governments must either meet people’s expectations or clearly communicate what they can achieve and within what timeframe.
He was responding to a question on public protests, dissent and the balance between law enforcement and people’s right to express their concerns.
He believes that a lack of trust develops when people’s aspirations rise but leadership performance fails to match them. He cited developments in Europe as an example of how growing expectations and a trust deficit can lead to public disturbances.
On the situation in India, he said the country has so far maintained a positive environment but must continue working to preserve it as public aspirations increase.
Chandrababu Naidu emphasised that personal wealth alone cannot bring happiness unless society as a whole is happy. Calling for collective responsibility, he said politicians, industry leaders, academicians and parents must work together to address people’s expectations.
He also highlighted the growing influence of technology and social media, observing that in the past, only major organisations and prominent personalities could shape public opinion, whereas today everyone has the power to become an influencer. He said governments and leaders must recognise this changing reality and remain responsive to every section of society.
The TDP chief praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, describing him as a strong leader with a positive understanding of technology and development.
He said his five decades of political experience had allowed him to work with several Prime Ministers, beginning with Indira Gandhi, and that he had also played a role in the selection of Prime Ministers in the past.
Responding to a question on his influence as an NDA alliance partner in the functioning of the Union government, CM Naidu said he had found PM Modi particularly receptive to technology-related discussions. He recalled that earlier, when he spoke about technology, many leaders did not fully understand its importance, whereas PM Modi not only understood the subject but also guided him on how to take technological initiatives forward.
He mentioned that Andhra Pradesh ranks second in the country, after Goa, in access equality, according to a study by O.P. Jindal Global University, despite ranking 13th in per capita income. He said the ranking reflects the government’s efforts to ensure that essential facilities and welfare benefits reach the last mile.
Highlighting the government’s Super Six welfare initiatives, he said nearly 63 lakh families receive monthly financial assistance of ₹4,000, ₹6,000, ₹10,000 or ₹15,000, based on their economic conditions and specific needs, including old age, physical disabilities and bedridden conditions.
He also outlined other welfare measures, including ₹15,000 annually for each eligible school-going child from Class 1 to 12 under the Thalliki Vandanam scheme, credited to the mother’s account.
Under the farmer assistance programme, the Centre’s ₹6,000 annual support is supplemented with ₹14,000 by the state, taking the total assistance to ₹20,000 per farmer annually.
He further highlighted three free LPG cylinders annually for women and free bus travel for nearly 85 lakh women across the state.
–IANS
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