Field Visits Mandatory for Officials, Says AP CM

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has said field visits are mandatory for officials across all levels of the administration. Direct interaction with ground realities, he said, is a prerequisite to improving the governance and strengthening public trust.

Reviewing the performance of various departments through the Real Time Governance Society on Wednesday, the chief minister said the entire administrative machinery must remain vigilant to prevent lapses. Focus should now be on identifying shortcomings and rectifying them promptly to ensure efficient public service delivery.

The CM asked all officials to undertake regular field visits from this month and said strict implementation of this rule would begin from next month. Recalling earlier instructions, he reiterated that officials should spend three days a week in the field.

District collectors have been asked to visit every assembly constituency four times, while constituency nodal officers must visit the same mandal four times each month.

He warned that the performance of officials and employees would be subjected to a comprehensive 360-degree evaluation.

Naidu also called for significant improvement in the functioning of the Endowments Department, stating that greater focus was needed to enhance services for devotees in temples. He emphasised continuous improvement in employee performance across departments and directed that necessary training programmes be conducted.

Referring to global best practices, the CM suggested studying Singapore’s innovative administrative models. On infrastructure, he noted that 11,600 potholes had been identified in municipalities across the state, of which 79 per cent had already been repaired. He wanted officials to expedite repairs on the remaining roads, particularly those connecting urban and rural areas.

The CM asked the roads and municipal administration departments to work in close coordination.

Highlighting the role of technology in governance, Naidu said Google had agreed to collaborate with the state on data-driven governance initiatives. While the commercial taxes department is already working with the technology giant, he directed other departments to explore similar integration.

He also called for faster disposal of grievances received through the Public Grievance Redressal System. Officials, he said, must introduce a new tracking mechanism that would allow complainants to monitor the status of their petitions and understand the progress made towards resolution.

Chief secretary Sai Prasad and senior officials from various departments attended the review meeting.