31,000 Acres Freed as AP Tackles Long-Pending Land Disputes: CM Chandrababu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state government was taking steps to resolve long-pending land disputes while also accelerating governance through technology, strengthening skill development for youth and preparing for the state’s growing power requirements.

Addressing the second day of the 8th District Collectors’ Conference in Amaravati, the Chief Minister reviewed the functioning of the Revenue, Education, Health, Skill Development, Municipal Administration and Energy departments. He called for faster decision-making, greater use of technology and stronger field-level engagement by officials.

On land issues, Naidu said the government was succeeding in resolving disputes that had remained pending for decades, including cases dating back nearly a century. So far, 232 long-standing land disputes had been settled, freeing up around 31,000 acres of land valued at nearly Rs 5,000 crore, he said. The government had also resolved a ground-rent land issue in Ambajipeta that had remained pending for about 120 years.

He directed officials to ensure transparency in resolving land disputes and prevent corruption. Land records covered under completed resurvey operations should be secured using blockchain technology, while real-time integration should be taken up from November 1.

The Chief Minister said skill development should be treated as a continuous process so that local youth could benefit from employment generated by new industries. He called for job fairs at the constituency level and greater collaboration between ITIs, polytechnic colleges and industries. As many as 4.98 lakh youngsters had registered on the state’s skill portal, he said, adding that students should also be trained in artificial intelligence.

Naidu set a target of achieving 100 per cent literacy by 2027 through the Akshara Andhra programme. He also directed officials to audit the safety of school buildings and improve healthcare delivery through technology.

On energy, he called for a major expansion of solar power to meet rising demand. Collectors were asked to promote the PM Surya Ghar scheme and explore solar installations for agricultural connections under PM-KUSUM. He directed officials to install 47 MW of rooftop solar capacity across 2,932 government buildings in 28 districts. Pumped storage and battery energy storage systems were also being explored, he said.

Naidu stressed that delays in clearing files were unacceptable and asked ministers and officials to speed up decision-making. He said physical files should be phased out within a month and all departments should move to online file management.

He also directed collectors, MLAs and mandal-level officials to regularly visit villages and resolve grievances on the ground. The use of AI, deep technology and accurate data through the state’s data lake should be expanded, while legal AI could be explored to help deal with pending court cases.

Naidu further called for rationalising the workload of staff in Swarna Ward and Village Offices, preparing clear job charts for personnel and providing an electric vehicle to each office. Efficient employees should be identified and encouraged to improve public service delivery, he said.