Collector Sridhar Cherukuri and Joint Collector Nidhi Meena viewing a stall during the Republic Day celebrations in Kadapa on Monday.
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
Kadapa district stands first among the ‘Aspiration Districts’ chosen across the country, claims District Collector Sridhar Cherukuri. “Of the 112 districts chosen pan India, we stand first with 73.6 per cent, as per the overall composite score released by the Niti Aayog,” he said.
Speaking after unfurling the national flag at the 77th Republic Day celebrations here on Monday (January 26, 2026), he said that the ranking was given after gauging the performance of fifty crucial departments as Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
Mr. Sridhar said Kadapa’s ‘smart kitchen’ concept providing delicious and nutritional meals to students had gained popularity across the nation, making it replicable in the government schools across the State.
The Niti Aayog had approved ₹7.50 crore to Kadapa district for its flagship projects like start-up Kadapa, smart kitchen, organic marketing, building Anganwadi infrastructure and sanitation.
The Collector recalled that the progress achieved on the industrial, irrigation, agricultural, animal husbandry, micro irrigation, medical and health and women’s empowerment fronts.
Superintendent of Police Nachiket Vishwanath Shelke and Joint Collector Nidhi Meena also took part. The family members of freedom fighters hailing from the district were felicitated on the occasion.
Published – January 26, 2026 09:05 pm IST
