CM Naidu announces plans for Quantum Valley and 20 lakh rooftop solar units in AP

At the district collectors’ conference held here on Tuesday, Naidu referred to the PM Surya Ghar scheme and said at least 10,000 rooftop solar units should be erected in each assembly segment. MLAs and collectors should pay special attention to this.

In a futuristic vision, Naidu announced plans for Quantum Valley, positioning Andhra Pradesh as a leader in Quantum Computing, which will revolutionize tech-driven law enforcement. He encouraged police to computerize criminal tracking, implement night drone patrols and develop AI applications that could set a national benchmark in policing.

Naidu told the meeting that SC, ST beneficiaries who install two kilowatt rooftop units would get a central assistance of `60,000 while the state is paying an additional `55,000 each, ultimately making it a fully free unit. “If they supply excess power to the grid after meeting their needs, they would be given a payment of `2.90 per unit.”

Free power up to 200 units is already being supplied to SCs and STs, and they get more benefits with the implementation of this scheme.

Naidu said, for BCs, however, the Centre would pay `60,000 and the state `20,000, each, for installing two kilo watt rooftops solar units. They can raise another `35,000 as loan from banks and repay it in five years. They too will get `2.90 per unit if they supply surplus power to grids after meeting their needs, he added.

The chief minister underscored the critical role of AI and technology in modern policing, urging law enforcement agencies to stay ahead of criminals through data-driven strategies. He stressed the need for precision in investigations, saying “lack of data leads to weak cases”. He said forensic evidence protection was a crucial aspect of crime-solving.

Naidu cited the Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy murder case as a lesson in investigative lapses, stressing that disruption of crime scenes must be treated as a serious crime. He directed police officials to integrate satellite data and AI-backed analytics in countering Maoist threats on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh borders.

The CM also announced that a four-member committee would be formed to upgrade de-addiction centres, aiming to curb substance abuse and addiction. Officials must present the outcomes of these initiatives at the next collectors’ conference.

On crime and law enforcement, Naidu said AP has recorded a 14 per cent overall reduction in crimes over the past nine months. Specific improvements include a 7.2 per cent drop in crimes against women and a 9.2 per cent decline in crimes against SCs and STs, he claimed.

The CM said the state has also seen a 17 per cent decrease in crimes compared to the previous year.

He stated, “However, economic offenses and cybercrimes remain areas of concern, with AP ranking 5th in the country for cybercrimes and experiencing a 133 per cent rise in cyber fraud cases, amounting to a loss of `131 crore. The police have initiated a new Cyber Crime Vertical led by a DIG/IG and are training 500 cyber commandos to combat the growing threat.”