Municipalities Told to Prioritise Waste Management

Participating online from Amaravati in a regional conference of municipal commissioners being held at Anantapur, the minister issued a series of directives aimed at improving civic services and strengthening urban governance.

The newly launched digital platforms are integrated through a comprehensive dashboard linking all urban local bodies (ULBs). They enable citizens to access information and make online payments seamlessly.

Addressing the gathering, Narayana said the websites would function as a single digital window for municipal services, notifications, updates and official social media feeds. A key feature is the integration of Puramitra, an AI-powered virtual assistant that provides quick explanations and assistance to citizens. Users can register using mobile numbers, link assessments, and access services, complaints and property-related information. Dashboards, city maps, activity updates and commissioner-level communications will also be available for all 123 ULBs.

The minister said the state government was implementing drinking water supply and underground drainage projects under AMRUT and other schemes. Tenders have reached the final stage, and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is expected to lay foundation stones in the second week of next month. The projects are targeted for completion within two years.

Setting a deadline, Narayana directed officials to clear legacy waste completely by March 31 and convert reclaimed sites into parks. He also instructed them to take steps to prevent stray dogs and pigs from causing public inconvenience.

The conference was attended by capital region development authority commissioner Kannababu, MA&UD principal secretary Suresh Kumar, director Sampath Kumar, Swachh Andhra Corporation MD Anil Kumar Reddy, TIDCO MD Sunil Reddy, town planning director Vidyullatha, public health engineering engineer-in-chief Prabhakar, and commissioners from 42 municipalities.