By Md Ilyas
Copyright deccanchronicle
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday announced that, henceforth, all government services would be rated to assess their efficiency and reach. While some departments have improved their performance, those like the revenue department have failed to match public expectations, he said while addressing district administrative heads on the second day of the collectors’ conference in Amaravati. Naidu reviewed initiatives such as Quantum Valley, WhatsApp Governance, Data Lake, RTGS Lens and Aware 2.0, underscoring how technology must be integrated at every level of administration to produce best results. He said, “The revenue department has not delivered services at satisfactory levels. Therefore, we have decided to rate every government service. Even the quality of files that reach collectors will be assessed,” he said, adding that senior officials like collectors should also change their working styles for the better. The Chief Minister made it clear that secretaries and higher officials should no longer demand repeated reports from collectors. Instead, all field-level data should be drawn directly from the computerized Real Time Governance System (RTGS). “The era of pressuring collectors for reports is over. It delays work and hampers progress,” he asserted. Naidu stressed that within the next two months, “100 per cent of government files” must be moved online to ensure transparency and prevent manipulation. Forensic auditing systems would be introduced and processes would be upgraded to make them match with next-generation technologies. He noted, “Through RTGS, collectors are already receiving 42 categories of information. By November, the state’s Data Lake would become fully operational, enabling real-time insights on district performance. “By the time of the next collectors’ meet, we will have a system to show which districts need to improve, and in what areas.” Governmental benefits must reach the last mile through technology, and results would be visible within the next two years, he said. The RTG district centres, he said, would be ready by November, while training programmes for ministers, officials and collectors on technology use would be held in October. The Chief Minister emphasised the importance of a technology ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in disaster management and emergency response. “We will introduce an Alert Broadcast System to warn people during natural calamities and emergencies. We will introduce tools to analyse CCTV footage. The era has shifted from low to high bandwidth, and we must respond accordingly,” he said. Energetic young IAS officers, he said, would be instrumental in driving innovation. Five young officers have been assigned the task of building the state’s technology ecosystem, with responsibilities also in areas of innovation. Naidu asked collectors to intensify the implementation of the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) and Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS). Illegal constructions should be identified through satellite images, while drains and open spaces must be earmarked in new layouts. In Tirupati, the setting up of CCTV surveillance at red sanders depots should be speeded up, he said, and called for value addition by producing finished goods, along with the start of an experience centre for visitors.