Chandrababu Naidu directs officials to clear e-files within 24 hours, push digital governance

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stressed the need for faster governance through technology-driven administration, directing officials to ensure that e-files are cleared within 24 hours to improve public service delivery.

On the second day of the Collectors’ Conference at the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat on Friday (May 8, 2026), reviewing file clearance systems, AP Aware and the State Data Lake initiatives, the Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the sharp reduction in file disposal timelines, from several days earlier to a matter of hours in many departments.

He congratulated Ministers, District Collectors, SPs and secretaries who demonstrated speedy disposal of e-files, and praised Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand Sai Prasad for clearing a large volume of files in an average time of just 10 hours.

Officials informed the conference that, compared to the last three months, the average file clearance period across the State had come down sharply from nearly 10 days to just two days. The improvement, they said, was largely due to constant monitoring and review at the Collectors’ Conferences chaired by the Chief Minister.

Mr. Naidu also pulled up several Collectors, SPs and Joint Collectors who were lagging in file disposal, asking them to improve speed and efficiency. He said faster file clearance directly translates into quicker public services, and described it as one of the most important elements in delivering effective governance.

“The speed of governance depends heavily on the speed of file disposal,” the Chief Minister said, adding that everyone from the Chief Secretary and departmental secretaries to officials at the mandal level must increase efficiency in handling files.

Mr. Naidu directed officials to minimise the use of manual files and move almost entirely to digital governance through e-office systems. At the same time, he said technology-driven administration must retain a “human touch” while serving citizens.

The Chief Minister instructed departments to continuously monitor individual performance in file clearance and identify files in districts that are still operating outside the e-office system. He also made it mandatory for district-level departments and Heads of Departments (HoDs) to generate only e-files going forward.

Calling for innovative governance at the grassroots level, Mr. Naidu urged Collectors to think beyond conventional administration and adopt creative approaches to improve governance and public service delivery across the State.