Naidu pushes 24-hour e-file clearance, lauds digital governance push
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday stressed the need for faster, technology-driven governance and directed officials to ensure that all e-files are cleared within 24 hours to improve public service delivery.
On the second day of the Collectors’ Conference held at the State Secretariat on May 8, the Chief Minister reviewed file clearance systems, AP Aware, and the State Data Lake initiative. He expressed satisfaction over the sharp reduction in file disposal time, which has come down from several days to just a few hours in several departments.
Mr. Naidu congratulated Ministers, District Collectors, SPs and secretaries for improving efficiency in e-file handling. He also appreciated Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand Sai Prasad for clearing a large volume of files with an average turnaround time of just 10 hours.
Officials informed the conference that the statewide average file clearance time has reduced significantly over the last three months, from nearly 10 days to around two days. They attributed this improvement to constant monitoring and regular reviews during Collectors’ Conferences chaired by the Chief Minister.
At the same time, Mr. Naidu expressed concern over delays in file disposal by some Collectors, SPs and Joint Collectors, and directed them to improve speed and efficiency without delay. He said faster file clearance is central to delivering timely public services and ensuring effective governance.
“The speed of governance depends on the speed of file clearance,” the Chief Minister said, adding that efficiency must improve at all levels, from the Chief Secretary and departmental secretaries to mandal-level officials.
He instructed officials to minimise the use of manual files and move fully towards e-office systems. He also emphasized that while governance must be technology-driven, it should continue to retain a human touch in citizen services.
Mr. Naidu directed departments to closely monitor individual performance in file clearance and identify districts where e-office adoption is still incomplete. He made it mandatory for all district-level departments and Heads of Departments to generate only e-files going forward.
Calling for innovative governance at the grassroots level, the Chief Minister urged Collectors to move beyond conventional administration and adopt creative approaches to further improve efficiency and public service delivery across the State.