Hundred percent door-to-door garbage collection in rural areas by March, says Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu

By March, the government will ensure hundred percent door-to-door waste collection in the rural areas and change the mindset towards waste management, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said.

Sanitation reform was central to Andhra Pradesh’s reconstruction, the Chief Minister observed while addressing a public meeting after participating in the Swarna Andhra–Swachh Andhra programme, at Vinukonda in Palnadu district on Saturday. He said the campaign, launched in January 2025, was progressing vigorously across the State.

On the occasion, he flagged off the ‘Swachh Rath’ for solid waste collection and inaugurated pushcarts and e-autos aimed at strengthening doorstep garbage collection in both the rural and urban areas.

Mr. Naidu said 97% door-to-door collection had already been achieved in municipalities and reiterated that rural areas would reach full coverage by March.

Blaming the previous administration for leaving behind 108 lakh tonnes of legacy waste, which, he said, polluted land, groundwater and air, leading to disease outbreaks, the Chief Minister said the government had initiated large-scale clearance of garbage dumps to provide a clean environment.

Highlighting citizen participation, Mr. Naidu noted that over 4,14,014 families were undertaking home composting and using it for terrace gardens. The State was processing solid waste to generate wealth and even power, with waste-to-energy plants functioning in Visakhapatnam and Guntur, he said, adding that five more had been proposed, including one in Rajamahendravaram. He also reiterated on the ban on single-use plastics, and urged people to adhere to it.

The Chief Minister distributed ₹100.14 crore to 561 self-help groups (SHGs) and inspected stalls set up by various departments, including chilli and maize processing units run by the SHGs.

Mr. Naidu also accused the previous regime of economic mismanagement, corruption, and attempts to politicise religious institutions, asserting that the State’s revival was now firmly underway.

Ministers P. Narayana (MA & URD) and Gottipati Ravi Kumar (Energy), Chief Whip G.V. Anjaneyulu, Swachh Andhra Corporation Chairman K. Pattabhiram, and Collector Kritika Shukla were present.