Tech, security key to driving development: Andhra CM Naidu

Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), June 27 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said he has always prioritised IT and law and order, stressing that development is possible only when law and order is maintained and criminal activities are curbed.

Speaking at the 'AI (Artificial Intelligence) for AP Police–Hackathon 2025' event held at an engineering college near Guntur, Naidu asserted that as long as he is the Chief Minister, there will be no place for criminals in the state.

"When law and order are strong and crime is under control, development follows. Just as I focused on IT, I have also prioritised law and order. As long as CBN (Naidu) is CM, there will be no place for criminals in Andhra Pradesh," he told students and police officials.

Naidu highlighted that during his previous tenure as CM of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, he successfully tackled rowdyism, naxalism, smuggling, mafia activities, and other forms of crime.

Emphasising the role of technology, Naidu said the state is geo-tagging every household to ensure relief can be delivered swiftly using drones in the event of a calamity.

The government is also incorporating blockchain technology to enhance service delivery and reduce delays, he added.

Advising students to work smart rather than merely hard, Naidu urged them to pursue innovation.

He further said the state is setting up sandboxes to store government data, which will help identify use cases and develop proof-of-concept solutions.

In addition to promoting AI, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh is building a "quantum valley" in collaboration with IBM, TCS, and L&T.

Around 500 experts are expected to arrive on June 30 to explore this emerging field.

Stating that Telugu people should lead the global knowledge economy, Naidu said he is committed to that vision.

He also vowed to use technology to fight crime, especially crimes against women, and warned of strict action against offenders.

As part of the 'AI for AP Police Hackathon 2025', Naidu said eight use cases were shortlisted from 60 participants, who were selected from an initial pool of 160 competitors.

Naidu emphasised that students from Andhra Pradesh must be equipped to leverage AI, expressing confidence that the Telugu community will leave a mark on the world. PTI STH SSK