Chandrababu Naidu wants to transform AP into a "digital state"

Guntur, Sep 5: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said he wants the state to be a "digital AP".

"Our Prime Minister Modi has an ambition to make the country a 'Digital India'. Now I am thinking to transform Andhra Pradesh into 'Digital AP' prior to other states," he said.

To achieve this vision, they are contemplating to provide 'Wi-Fi' service in all educational institutions of the state, Naidu said while addressing teachers and students here on the 'Gurupuja Utsav' today.

The chief minister said he is also planning to provide i-pads to all students to make them develop an awareness about Information Technology and also to reduce their burden of textbooks.

"Teaching new technology at an early age brings good results, instead of training at a higher age," he said.

"Young scientists and technocrats from the state are now leading the world in Information Technology and we are proud of them," he said, adding that he has realised the importance of education along with technical and particularly IT knowledge for the students.

The state government has proposed to set up more higher educational institutions just as the Union government wants to establish more institutions like IIT and IIM. After these are set up, the services of best teachers of one institution would be utilised for students from other institutes through video conferencing, he said.

He also appealed the teaching community to strive for achieving 100 per cent literacy in the state in next five years. We are far away at 31st place in literacy rate in the country among other states, but at the same time in technology our state stands ahead, Naidu said.

The previous governments failed to identify importance of education for socio-economic development and the state lagged behind in achieving higher literacy rate, he rued.

On the occasion, he presented awards to 175 teachers adjudged best in the state and also felicitated two teachers who had taught him during his academic years.

PTI