Vijayawada:Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu emphasised appointing an aspirational secretary to promote technological advancements, including AI and drones, in rural areas. He proposed establishing one secretariat per 2,500 residents or within a 5-kilometer radius, with additional secretariats as needed.
During a review meeting on village and ward secretariats, Naidu highlighted efforts to enhance their efficiency through a rationalisation plan. Currently, Andhra Pradesh has 11,162 village secretariats and 3,842 ward secretariats, employing 127,175 personnel. However, staff distribution is uneven, with some secretariats operating with only four to six personnel.
The government plans to reorganise secretariats into three categories based on population. For populations under 2,500, six staff members (two multipurpose and four technical) will be allocated. Populations of 2,500–3,500 will have seven staff (three Multi-Purpose and four Technical), while areas exceeding 3,500 will receive eight personnel (four from each category). The restructuring will increase the number of secretariats to 15,004, employing up to 161,000 staff.
The new structure includes multipurpose functionaries, such as village secretaries and welfare assistants, and technical functionaries, like revenue officers and staff nurses. Enhanced training will be provided for personnel transitioning to Aspirational Secretaries.
Naidu directed that all households must be geotagged by January 20, 2025, and Aadhaar issuance for all children completed by February 15, 2025. Additionally, government certificates will feature only the official logo, not the Chief Minister's photograph. A state-wide survey on work-from-home personnel will also be conducted.
This rationalisation aims to optimize service delivery, reduce disparities, and equip secretariats to meet evolving needs effectively.
