Anantapur: Innovative ideas of Gandham Chandrudu hailed by PM, CM

Anantapur: District Collector Gandham Chandrudu, who has been transferred to Amaravati as Director of Village Secretariats and Village Volunteers, has served in the district for one-and-half-year and has made a lasting impact on the people of district.

He had made a mark on the district through his innovative ideas and programmes, which won accolades even from the Prime Minister and Chief Minister and several Union Ministers. His 'Balike Bhavishath' programme on the International Girl Child Day by making a class X girl Sravani as 'One day collector'.

He also made high school girls as departmental heads and even as joint collectors and municipal commissioners. This innovative programme drew accolades from the Prime Minister and went viral on the social media.

He also applied his mind on improving conditions in social welfare hostels, particularly creating basic amenities like bathrooms for girls and latrines in the hostels.

Soon after taking over as the Collector, he launched a campaign in government offices that people, who visit the offices, should not leave their footware outside to enter into any chamber of an officer nor stand before offices with folded hands. He also gave the residents of SC and ST Colonies freedom to rename their colonies and remove the tag of SC/ST colonies.

He also took up city beautification by painting the public walls with pictures of social relevance and message against social evils, cleanliness, environment, untouchability, anti-pollution and themes reflecting rural culture and rural eating habits. He evinced special interest in giving a new look to the government schools and in development of city roads when he was the special officer of Anantapur Municipal Corporation.

He gave priority to settling up of public grievances especially those relating to the underprivileged sections. Gandham Chandrudu also was commended by the chief minister and Covid special officers for his efficient handling of the situation during the first and second wave. He was hailed by the chief minister of late for his building temporary hospitals with 800 bed capacity in just a fortnight.

The chief minister retained him in the district despite the anti-collector campaign launched by the several YSRCP MLAs for the past 6 months on the ground that he was not redressing their personal and constituency problems. Collector Gandham Chandrudu is being replaced by APSPDCL Vice-Chairperson and Managing Director Nagalakshmi, who will be taking over as the 101th collector of the district.