Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, accompanied by Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta, inspects the guard of honour after hoisting the national flag during the 77th Republic Day celebrations at Rayapudi in Amaravati, Guntur district, on Monday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO
Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on Monday (January 26, 2026) said the State remained without clear direction for several years, the capital project stalled, and its economic confidence shaken.
The absence of continuity eroded investor trust and weakened financial stability but, in spite of the challenges, the incumbent government has worked with quiet determination and restored stability and rebuilt confidence, he observed.
Participating as the chief guest in the Republic Day celebrations near the State Secretariat on Monday, Mr. Nazeer said Amaravati was being developed with renewed vigour, having secured financial closures for key projects including the N5 and E3 roads and the Governor’s Residence Complex.
Land pooling mostly done
About 92% of the land pooling has been completed and with the Negotiated Settlement Policy, the trust of farmers stood reaffirmed.
He noted that infrastructure had languished in neglect between 2019 and 2024. However, lasting results started to be seen after the government took charge as it focused on the construction of roads.
Further, the Governor said family cards under the Family Benefit Management System with a dynamic ‘family score’ would be issued from June, increasing welfare coverage from 90.74% to 98.15%.
He stated that investments were shaping employment. The ₹10 lakh crore green hydrogen projects were poised to create 7.50 lakh jobs, while 75 new industrial projects worth ₹4.18 lakh crore would be generating 3.18 lakh more jobs.
Thematic cities i.e. electronics, solar, drone and space cities and bulk drugs were under development. With spokes across major cities, the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub in Amaravati (Mangalagiri) was driving startups and MSMEs.
On ‘fertility colleges’
The Governor went on to say that, as fertility rates were falling around the world, with a median age of 32.5 years versus India’s 28, the State government was moving towards ‘population management’ by establishing ‘fertility colleges’ for improving reproductive health, elderly clubs at the mandal level and taking other measures.
Mr. Nazeer observed that despite past setbacks, the Polavaram irrigation project was progressing rapidly with 100% spillway and powerhouse excavation completed. The project is being targeted to be commissioned by December 2027.
The Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link was being actively pursued and as a lower riparian State, A.P. planned to use only water that would otherwise reach the sea, ensuring no harm to the neighbouring States.
Beyond the capital, the government was shaping the Visakhapatnam Economic Region into a $750-800 billion economic engine by 2047 and Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada metro rail projects were approved, while new greenfield expressways like Nagpur-Vijayawada and Kharagpur-Visakhapatnam-Amaravati were being fast-tracked.
On the maritime and aviation fronts, A.P. was positioning itself as the east coast hub for trade with East and Southeast Asia by developing greenfield ports in Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam, Mulapeta and Kakinada.
Aviation infrastructure was being expanded beyond six airports, with Bhogapuram International Airport nearing completion by June and nine new airports planned across the State — from Nellore to Anantapur.
The goal of these projects was to cut logistics costs from 15.70% to 7–8% of GSDP, making A.P. a leader in connectivity, he added.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand and DGP Harish Kumar Gupta were among a host of dignitaries present on the occasion.
Published – January 26, 2026 05:46 pm IST
