Governments need to engage in constant dialogue with public to keep them happy, says Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi greet each other as Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan and A.P Governor S. Abdul Nazeer look on, during the valedictory session of the 31st CII Summit in Visakhapatnam on Friday.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stressed the need for a constant dialogue between governments and the public on issues concerning them to either meet their expectations or clearly communicate what could be done in a given timeframe.

“As expectations keep growing, conscious efforts should be made to build trust, failing which the resultant trust deficit can lead to public disturbances, like it is happening in Europe and some other parts of the world,” he observed.

In a fireside chat hosted by journalist Palki Sharma at the 31st CII Partnership Summit here on Friday, November 13, Mr. Naidu implied that a fine balance has to be struck between law enforcement and people's right to express their dissent. He noted that India could so far maintain a positive environment and it should be maintained as the public aspirations rise.

Unlike in the past when only major organisations and prominent personalities could shape public opinion, modern technology and social media have come to create strong but short-lived perceptions. Keeping this in view, governments and leaders must recognise the changing reality and be responsive to every section of society, he exhorted.

On the breathtaking pace at which Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing lives, Mr. Naidu said AI might initially disrupt employment but would create new job opportunities in alternative sectors, like what happened in the wake of the advent of Information Technology.

He asserted that AI would improve decision-making across healthcare, agriculture, industry and marketing, boosting productivity, wealth creation and incomes, and highlighted the growing reality of virtual and physical work models.

Further, the Chief Minister observed that while billionaires and trillionaires were emerging on one side, many ordinary families continued to struggle to afford three meals a day, quality education for their children and proper healthcare. The Public-Private-People Partnership initiative was launched to bridge those gaps.

He took pride in the fact that Andhra Pradesh achieved the second rank in Access Equality Report after Goa as welfare was reaching the last mile, and highlighted the government's Super Six welfare initiatives.

Mr. Naidu went on to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, describing him as a strong leader with a positive understanding of technology and development.

He said he got the opportunity to work with several Prime Ministers, beginning with Indira Gandhi, and played an instrumental role in the selection of PMs through his five decades of political experience.