Housing and Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy speaks to The Hindu in Vijayawada on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. Rao
The government has proposed a three-member Cabinet sub-committee to find solutions for nearly 11 lakh vacant house sites at PMAY- NTR Nagars in Andhra Pradesh, and stepped up engagement with social media influencers to publicise government schemes and counter misinformation.
The State government has renamed the YSR Jagananna colonies as PMAY- NTR Nagars in 2025. It is revealed that about 11 lakh vacant sites remained unutilised here in these colonies, till now.
Housing and Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said these initiatives formed part of the government’s efforts to ensure that welfare programmes delivered tangible benefits to people.
In an interview at The Hindu State headquarters in Vijayawada on Thursday (October 8, 2026), Mr. Parthasarathy said the committee would examine ways to put vacant plots to productive use. Many sites distributed during the previous YSRCP government’s tenure were either too small, lacked infrastructure or were unsuitable for construction.
On the other hand, the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, had promised beneficiaries at least two cents in urban areas and three cents in rural areas. The panel would consider combining plots, obtaining beneficiaries’ views, cancelling registrations of unused sites and addressing the requirements of nearly two lakh applicants seeking house sites. It would also examine corruption allegations, with criminal cases already registered. The Chief Minister had directed the committee to submit solutions within 45 days, with its terms of reference discussed at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.
Mr. Parthasarathy said 18 lakh houses were sanctioned during the TDP regime between 2014 and 2019, of which six lakh were completed. He alleged that the subsequent YSRCP government refused to continue construction because the houses had been initiated by Mr. Naidu. The present government had completed about five lakh houses and planned another three lakh. Around nine lakh fresh applications from eligible beneficiaries had been received, and houses would be completed in phases.
The State was also adopting 3D-printing technology for housing construction, which the Minister described as a first for an Indian government. Although the technology could reduce manpower requirements, accelerate construction and improve thermal comfort, its high cost remained a challenge. The government was examining ways to make it financially viable.
On reservations, he said the Chief Minister and NDA partners remained committed to providing 34% quota to BCs in local body seat allocations despite the 50% ceiling.
Explaining the government’s social media strategy, Mr. Parthasarathy said the Information and Public Relations Department was increasingly using influencers to communicate development initiatives directly to people and counter what he termed opposition propaganda, he added.
On Amaravati, the Minister said Ministers’, judges’ and MLAs’ quarters were targeted for completion and handover by March 2027. Most buildings, roads and basic infrastructure were expected to be completed by 2028.
The government was prioritising irrigation projects, including Polavaram and river interlinking, and planned to complete 36 pending projects by the end of its tenure. Mr. Parthasarathy alleged that the previous YSRCP government had neglected these projects.
On employment, he said the government aimed to create 20 lakh jobs, with private investment expected to generate the largest share of opportunities for graduates. Andhra Pradesh also aspired to emerge as a major quantum-computing hub.
Published – October 09, 2026 02:30 pm IST
