CHANDRABABU NAIDU’S THROWBACK TO THE NINETIES LEAVES BABUS SHAKEN

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has been remarkably active and highly energetic, disproving naysayers’ concerns over his advancing age. Within two months of taking over as the Chief Minister, he chaired the first District Collectors’ conference. Those who attended the conference got his message loud and clear when he declared that officials would see him as hands-on as he was in 1995. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. The conference, which began at around 11:00 am, continued until 11:30 pm, with only a brief breaks. The Chief Minister also drew parallels between the pre-1995 era, when economic reforms were not yet in place and the country’s growth rate was a mere 3 per cent, and the post-reform period, which saw substantial economic growth. He expressed his confidence that by 2029, the State would emerge as the third-largest economy in the country, leveraging its historical advantages and natural endowments.