AMARAVATI, May 6: The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday dismissed 51 doctors serving under the Director of Medical Education (DME) for remaining absent from duty without authorisation, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced, warning that the state would brook no further negligence in public medical institutions.

The dismissed doctors include eight Associate Professors, 41 Assistant Professors, and two Tutors — several of whom had been absent from their posts for periods ranging from one year to as long as six years. The action was taken under Rule 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules (Violation) — 1964, which empowers the government to treat prolonged unauthorised absence as deemed resignation.

"Show-cause notices were issued and adequate time was given to respond. Despite that, there was no response from these individuals," Satya Kumar Yadav said. "Those who are negligent in discharging their duties or who remain absent without authorisation will face strict action. There is absolutely no question of tolerating irresponsibility."

Absent for years, some since 2020

Among the Associate Professors dismissed, one attached to Andhra Medical College had been absent since February 7, 2020 — a period of over five years. Among the Assistant Professors, one had not reported for duty since August 22, 2022. The dismissed doctors belong to government medical colleges spread across the state, including those at Kadapa, Anantapur, Ongole, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Nellore, and Markapur.

Of the two Tutors dismissed, one had been absent for seven years — among the longest periods of unauthorised absence recorded in the exercise.

Charge memos bring eleven back to duty

The crackdown has already produced results in some cases. Eleven doctors who had been absent for under a year returned to duty after the DME issued charge memoranda. However, 33 others — comprising two Associate Professors and 31 Assistant Professors — have yet to report despite receiving notices, and face dismissal if they fail to join within the stipulated deadline.

In the Professor category, three individuals who had been absent for extended periods are expected to face similar punitive action shortly. Of five Professors served notices, two have since returned to duty.

Impact on patient care cited as primary concern

Officials noted that the prolonged absence of faculty from teaching hospitals had a direct and measurable impact on the quality of medical services available to patients. Many of the absentees had reportedly pursued private engagements while remaining on government rolls — a practice that had gone largely unchecked during the previous administration.

Following directions issued by the Minister, DME officials compiled detailed lists of absentees from across all government medical colleges before initiating formal proceedings under the applicable service rules.

The government has simultaneously indicated that vacancies arising from these dismissals will be filled promptly under its Zero Vacancy Policy, ensuring that the affected institutions are not left short-staffed in the interim.

With 33 more doctors yet to report and action pending against three Professors, further dismissals in the coming weeks appear likely.

AMARAVATI, April 20: A total of 377 doctors have joined primary health centres (PHCs) and teaching hospitals across Andhra Pradesh as Medical Officers and Civil Assistant Surgeons, with women accounting for 232 of the new recruits — or 61.53 per cent of the total intake — Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced on Monday.

Of the newly joined doctors, 282 have taken charge as Medical Officers in PHCs while the remaining 95 have joined teaching hospitals as Civil Assistant Surgeons.

Recruitment process

The AP Medical Services Recruitment Board had issued a notification on behalf of the Director of Public Health to fill 630 Medical Officer posts on a permanent basis, against which 4,984 applications were received. Following scrutiny under prescribed rules, online counselling was conducted to fill 611 posts — excluding those reserved under the sports quota — from a finalised selection list. Of those called for counselling, 482 candidates registered their preferences.

234 posts to be filled shortly

However, 129 candidates did not exercise their options, and 105 others who received postings did not report for duty, leaving 234 posts vacant. The Director of Public Health has requested the Recruitment Board to furnish a fresh merit list of remaining eligible candidates from the original selection list drawn up under last year's notification. A revised list will be prepared in accordance with reservation rules and other applicable norms, and fresh online counselling will be conducted shortly. The coalition government has been taking continuous steps to ensure zero vacancy in public health posts, the Minister said.

District-wise distribution

Among the districts, Krishna, Nandyal, Palnadu, and Srikakulam recorded the highest intake, with 16 Medical Officers joining PHCs in each district. Kadapa, Eluru, and Konaseema districts saw 15, 14, and 13 doctors join respectively, while West Godavari, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anantapur, and Prakasam each received 12 new PHC Medical Officers.

In teaching hospitals, Kadapa led with 25 Civil Assistant Surgeons reporting for duty, followed by Kakinada and Kurnool with 13 each. Across tribal areas of the State, 37 doctors have joined service.

AMARAVATI, April 20: The Andhra Pradesh government has formulated a comprehensive skill development programme as part of a broader population management policy aimed at addressing the economic barriers to childbearing, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced on Monday.

The skill development component forms one of the five pillars of the State's new population stabilisation policy, which was designed to encourage couples to voluntarily opt for higher fertility by creating an enabling socio-economic environment.

Fertility rate concern

Expressing concern over the State's current total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.50 — well below the replacement level of 2.10 required for a stable population balance between the young and the elderly — Mr. Satya Kumar Yadav said the government had drawn up a holistic policy to reverse the trend. The overarching goal of the programme is to achieve a $2.40 trillion State economy, which would be facilitated by a stabilised population structure, he said.

Targets set for 2035

Under the skill development plan, the government has set the following targets to be achieved by 2035: extending digital literacy to 95 per cent of the population; providing need-identified skill training to 75 per cent of the workforce; ensuring employment for over 80 per cent of trained persons; offering certificate courses to one lakh persons in childcare and elder-care services; and increasing women's participation in the labour force by 25 per cent.

Industry-aligned training

The Minister stated that training programmes would be tailored to the requirements of industries investing in the State, with a specific focus on information technology, green energy, electronics, and quantum computing. He noted that 610 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and related agreements signed at Visakhapatnam, entailing investments exceeding ₹13 lakh crore, would guide the identification of skill requirements. Industrialists and investors would be given due representation in the design of training curricula, he added.

Three-tier framework

The skill programmes would operate across three levels, Mr. Satya Kumar Yadav explained. Foundational courses would be introduced from Class VI, with the aim of building capabilities from a young age. Existing workers of varying age groups would receive training to enhance their productivity. Centres of Excellence would also be established to cater to higher-end skill requirements.

Emphasising that learning was not confined to those under 25, the Minister said older persons would also receive training in various domains so that all age groups could contribute to social and economic development.

The Minister appealed to citizens to make the most of the opportunities that would be created under the programme.

AMARAVATI, April 16: In a significant policy decision aimed at correcting the imbalance between the supply of nursing graduates and actual demand in the State, Health Minister Sri Satyakumar Yadav on Thursday announced that henceforth only applications received in response to official government notifications would be considered for the establishment of new nursing educational institutions in Andhra Pradesh. Unsolicited or suo motu proposals will no longer be entertained, the Minister made clear.

The announcement was made following an extensive review meeting on nursing education held at the AP Secretariat in Velagapudi, which lasted nearly two hours. The Minister clarified that an exemption to this policy would be extended to proposals pertaining to tribal areas.

Background to the Decision

Officials apprised the Minister at the review that the State currently has 691 nursing educational institutions, which collectively produce approximately 32,000 nursing graduates every year. Despite this, around 6,000 nursing seats have been going unfilled annually for the past several years, pointing to a significant oversupply. Between 2014 and the present, as many as 243 nursing colleges and schools have been sanctioned, all of them on the basis of suo motu proposals submitted by various institutions and approved by successive governments.

In a departure from this practice, the present alliance government last year invited applications from interested organisations for the establishment of nursing institutions in various parts of the State based on assessed need. In response, approximately 345 applications were received and are currently under consideration by a High Power Committee. It was against this backdrop that the Minister announced the new policy decision.

Minister Satyakumar Yadav discussed the finer points of the decision to disallow suo motu proposals with High Power Committee Chairman and retired High Court Judge Sri Upnaka Durga Prasada Rao.

Nurses Must Be Trained to Meet Evolving Demands

The review meeting also deliberated on employment opportunities in the health sector in the context of the State government's target of generating 20 lakh jobs by 2029. The Minister noted that the health sector alone holds the potential for over one lakh employment opportunities, and that appropriate reforms in nursing training could enable large-scale job creation.

Satyakumar Yadav stressed the need to incorporate emerging areas of healthcare into nursing training curricula, particularly geriatric care, child care services, and mental health services, given the rapidly growing demand in these specialisations. State Nursing Council Registrar Smt. Sushila informed the meeting that steps would be taken to launch a Post Graduate Residency Programme in these specialisations in government nursing institutions shortly.

Committee to Review Nursing College Fees

The question of revision of annual tuition fees in nursing institutions also figured prominently in the discussions. Representatives of nursing institutions pointed out that fees were last revised nearly a decade ago in 2017, and that rising inflation since then had made the running of colleges increasingly difficult, necessitating an upward revision. The Minister announced the constitution of a committee under High Power Committee Chairman and retired High Court Judge Sri Durga Prasada Rao to examine the matter scientifically and submit a report, on the basis of which the fee revision would be considered.

The meeting was attended by Health Department Principal Secretary Sri Saurabh Gaur, Director of Medical Education Dr. Raghunandan, State Nursing Council Registrar Smt. Sushila, other senior officials, and representatives of the Nursing Colleges Management Association.

Amaravati: BJP Andhra Pradesh State President P.V.N. Madhav on Tuesday welcomed the Central government's approval to establish a regional office of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) in Amaravati, describing it as a long-overdue recognition of the demands of the State's fishing community. He conveyed the gratitude of the people of Andhra Pradesh to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision.

Longstanding Demand Finally Heard

In a statement issued here, Madhav said it was heartening that the Central government had acknowledged the aspirations of millions of fisherfolk in Andhra Pradesh who had been pressing for this facility for years. The establishment of an NFDB regional office, he said, would provide fresh momentum to the State's fisheries sector and bring institutional support closer to those who need it most.

AP's Aquaculture Clout Recognised

Madhav pointed out that Andhra Pradesh is a significant contributor to the country's foreign exchange earnings through aquaculture, and argued that the sanction of this office reflected Prime Minister Modi's foresight in recognising the State's strategic importance to the national fisheries economy. The decision, he said, was a fitting acknowledgement of Andhra Pradesh's pre-eminent role in the sector.

Boost to Technical Support and Marketing

The BJP State president said the regional office would streamline access to technical assistance, marketing opportunities, and the adoption of modern practices for fisherfolk across the State. This, he added, would translate into tangible benefits for coastal communities and contribute meaningfully to the overall economic development of Andhra Pradesh.

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh Department of Medical, Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday categorically refuted allegations of irregularities in the recent recruitment of 611 Civil Assistant Surgeons (CAS) conducted through the AP Medical Services Recruitment Board, dismissing a published news report as factually incorrect.

Following directions from Health Secretary Saurabh Gaur, senior officials conducted a detailed review in consultation with Board authorities and concluded that no malpractice had occurred in the recruitment process.

Technical Errors Addressed Promptly

Upon scrutiny of the published allegations against official records, the department acknowledged that minor technical discrepancies in mark computation had surfaced, but maintained these were rectified promptly upon receipt of representations from candidates. In one instance, a candidate's Covid-19 service experience had been incorrectly entered; once corrected and appropriate marks awarded, the candidate's position in the merit list was revised accordingly.

Roster Implementation Found Compliant

The department stated that the roster had been implemented without any deviation from prescribed norms. Doubts raised over the selection of a Scheduled Caste category candidate were examined and found to be consistent with applicable category rules. Official records confirmed that marks assigned to candidates on the merit list were computed strictly on the basis of service, seniority, and other established criteria.

On the question of non-local candidates, the department clarified that the 40 per cent Open Category seats carry no domicile requirement under existing rules, and selections were made accordingly. Candidates who submitted their mark lists belatedly were also considered in accordance with past precedent.

Sports Quota Posts to Be Filled Shortly

Responding to concerns that certain roster points remained unfilled, the department explained that appointments under the Sports Category had been deferred pending requisite approvals, and that these vacancies would be filled in due course.

The department further noted that adequate representation had been ensured for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes, with records indicating that a significant proportion of selections were drawn from reserved categories.

Zonal Rules Not Applicable to State-Level Posts

On the posting of doctors outside their home zones, the department clarified that CAS positions are State-level posts and are therefore not governed by zonal regulations, making inter-regional postings entirely consistent with service rules. It further asserted that no additional marks were awarded to any candidate, and that no other applicant had been prejudiced as a result.

The department stated that since assuming office, the coalition government has prioritised transparency in the health sector, undertaking large-scale recruitments free from external interference. It cautioned that unsubstantiated allegations risk misleading the public and undermining the credibility of an administration committed to integrity and accountability. The department urged the media to publish a factual clarification in the interest of accurate public information.

Over 33% of target beneficiaries inoculated so far; vaccination centres to remain operational through May, says Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav

AMARAVATI : The Central government has dispatched an additional 1,90,890 doses of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to Andhra Pradesh, reinforcing the state's ongoing drive to protect adolescent girls against cervical cancer, Health and Medical Minister Satyakumar Yadav announced on Monday.

The fresh consignment follows an earlier batch of 1,90,800 doses supplied last month under the first instalment of the Central government's HPV vaccination initiative, taking the total doses received by the state to 3,81,780. The vaccine is being administered to girls in the 14 to 15 age group as part of a targeted public health intervention aimed at preventing cervical cancer.

Mr. Yadav said authorities were taking steps to distribute the newly arrived doses to districts in proportion to the number of eligible girls in each area. He confirmed that vaccination centres across the state would continue to function without interruption through May, and added that the completion of Class X public examinations was expected to further accelerate the pace of inoculation as school-going girls became more accessible.

Over One Lakh Girls Vaccinated So Far

According to data compiled from village and ward secretariats, there are approximately 3.45 lakh girls in the state who have completed 14 years of age but have not yet turned 15 — the designated target group for the current phase of the drive. Of these, 1,14,512 girls, representing 33.19 per cent of the total, had received the vaccine by Monday afternoon.

Among the districts, Kurnool recorded the highest number of beneficiaries at 6,785, followed closely by Nellore at 6,726, YSR district at 6,725, and Anantapur at 6,655. At the other end of the spectrum, Polavaram district reported the lowest coverage with 669 girls vaccinated, followed by Alluri Sitarama Raju district at 1,063, Sri Sathya Sai at 2,769, and Anakapalli at 2,959.

Cold Chain Infrastructure and Safety Protocols

The vaccine is being administered at 1,645 primary and urban health centres across the state that have been identified as having adequate cold chain storage facilities. Health officials said girls were being observed for 30 minutes after receiving the shot as a standard precautionary measure, and that no adverse reaction cases had been reported thus far.

In keeping with Central government directives, 500 doses from the first consignment were separately dispatched to Yanam. Officials noted that Andhra Pradesh was among the states in the forefront of implementing the Central guidelines on HPV vaccination, describing the initiative as a critical step towards reducing the burden of cervical cancer.

Mr. Yadav reiterated that the HPV vaccine was both safe and effective and urged parents to ensure that eligible girls in the target age group availed themselves of the free vaccination at the nearest health centre before the current drive concluded.

Guntur, April 3: The conferment of legal status on Amaravati as the permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh has brought an end to the prolonged uncertainty among government employees, the Guntur district president of the AP Non-Gazetted Government Officers (NGGOs) Association said on Friday.

Addressing a press conference at the NGGOs Home in Guntur, district president Ghantasala Srinivasarao said that nearly 40,000 employees working in Heads of Departments (HODs) and their families had finally emerged from the shadow of doubt that had lingered over the question of the State capital's location. "This decision has restored confidence and brought a sense of stability among the workforce," he said.

Expressing gratitude to both the Central and State governments for establishing a permanent capital and giving the State a distinct identity, Mr. Srinivasarao also welcomed the release of ₹7,358.33 crore in arrears to employees, teachers, and pensioners at the close of the financial year, describing it as a significant measure to ease their financial burden.

The released amount comprises ₹1,847.83 crore under the General Provident Fund (GPF), ₹3,411.03 crore towards gratuity, ₹1,800 crore for leave encashment of retired employees, and ₹223.47 crore as additional surrender leave for police personnel. He said these payments would contribute meaningfully to employee welfare.

Mr. Srinivasarao commended the efforts of Association state president Alaparthi Vidyasagar and general secretary D.V. Ramana, noting that the government's constructive approach and the ongoing coordination between the administration and the union had yielded tangible benefits for employees.

State vice-president Sheikh Nagoor Sharif said that ₹1,847.83 crore under GPF had already been credited to accounts, and payments of ₹76 crore under Group Insurance had been completed. He added that the decision on Amaravati as capital, along with the release of arrears, would contribute to the State's development and administrative stability.

Among those present at the event were district co-president Ch. Rambabau, vice-president B. Durgarao, joint secretaries Jani Bhasha, B. Krishna Kishor, K. Narasimharao and K. Vijay, Guntur City secretary Ch. Kalyan Kumar, city vice-presidents Sambasiva Rao, Murali Krishna, Ankamma Rao and Srinivasarao, Pattipadu president K. Seshagiri Raju, and Amaravati secretary Sheikh Kareem.

Amaravati, April 1, 2026: In a significant step towards strengthening the state's public health infrastructure, the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday issued appointment orders to 482 doctors on a regular basis through the Directorate of Public Health (DPH), with the entire recruitment and counselling process conducted paperlessly and transparently through an online platform.

State Health and Medical Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced the development, stating that those who have received their posting orders must report to duty within 15 days.

Background to the Recruitment Drive

The appointments follow a notification (13/2025) issued last year for the filling of 636 posts, covering Medical Officers at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Tutors at teaching hospitals. The notification drew nearly 5,000 applications. After scrutinising applications based on MBBS qualifications and applying reservation norms and other prescribed rules, the recruitment board published its selected list on March 11. Subsequently, options were invited from eligible candidates from Monday morning (11 a.m.) through Tuesday night (9 p.m.) for 611 posts, excluding the sports category. The option window was extended beyond the originally announced deadline at the request of candidates.

A Shift Towards Digital Transparency

Marking a departure from the earlier practice of conducting counselling through Zoom conferences — where candidates selected postings based on vacancies displayed on screen — this cycle introduced a fully online counselling mechanism to enhance transparency. Candidates submitted their preferences in priority order against hospital-wise advertised posts, and posting orders were generated and issued entirely through the digital platform, without any physical documentation.

Director of Public Health Dr. Padmavathi confirmed that of the 611 posts notified, 482 candidates responded and were issued posting orders accordingly. She noted that a portion of the postings included Tutor positions at teaching hospitals.

District-wise Distribution

Kadapa district recorded the highest number of postings in the state with 52, followed by Anantapur (34), Srikakulam (31), Kakinada (29), Kurnool (27), Palnadu (26), NTR district (23), Nandyal (19), Krishna (19), Prakasam (17), Eluru (17), Vizianagaram (16), West Godavari (15), Guntur (14), Parvathipuram Manyam (14), Ambedkar Konaseema (13), Alluri Sitarama Raju (13), East Godavari (12), Visakhapatnam (12), Chittoor (12), Markapuram (11), Sathya Sai (11), Annamayya (10), and Nellore (10). Remaining districts received fewer than ten postings each.

Dr. Padmavathi added that the 19 posts reserved under the Sports and Ex-Servicemen categories would be filled shortly. It may be recalled that in December 2024, a separate DPH notification had resulted in posting orders for 392 medical officers.

Towards Strengthening Rural Healthcare

The fresh appointments are expected to address longstanding vacancies at PHCs across the state, where the shortage of doctors has been a persistent concern, particularly in remote and tribal areas. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav said the government remained committed to ensuring that quality healthcare reached every corner of Andhra Pradesh through timely recruitment and deployment of medical personnel.

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav on Monday sounded a sharp warning over the state's sharply declining fertility rate, calling it a new kind of population time bomb that could trigger severe economic and social consequences if left unaddressed. In a detailed statement released here, the Minister said the state's Total Fertility Rate — the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime — had fallen to an alarming 1.50, well below the replacement level of 2.10 required for population stabilisation.

Announcing that the state government had formulated a new Population Stabilisation Policy Framework, the Minister said the document would be placed in the public domain shortly, on the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, for wide consultation among citizens, media, and other stakeholders.

A Demographic Shift in the Making

Presenting a sobering statistical picture, the Minister said the state's population growth rate had declined from 7.10 per cent during 2011–15 to 1.70 per cent at present, and was projected to fall further to 0.30 per cent by 2035 if the current trend continued. The fertility rate, which stood at 1.68 not long ago, has already slipped to 1.50 and risks declining further without corrective intervention.

The Minister pointed to a widening generational imbalance. The median age of Andhra Pradesh's population currently stands at 32.50 years, compared to the national median of 28 years — a gap that he said illustrated how much faster the state's population was ageing relative to the rest of the country.

Projections underlying the new policy framework paint a stark picture: the share of children below 14 years in the state's population, which stood at 25 per cent in 2011, is expected to fall to 15 per cent by 2036. Simultaneously, the proportion of those above 60 years is projected to nearly double from 10 per cent to 19 per cent by 2036, and rise further to 23 per cent by 2047 — a trajectory that the Minister warned would seriously impede the state's Swarna Andhra development goals.

"If the present trend continues, the demographic dividend we currently enjoy will disappear by 2040, and we will instead be burdened with a rapidly ageing population," the Minister cautioned.

A New Policy Direction

Marking a significant departure from decades of population control policy, the new framework shifts its focus from limiting family size to creating conditions under which families voluntarily choose to have more children. The Minister said the earlier policy of state-directed family planning targets had run its course and that the time had come to build a supportive environment for larger families.

The framework is built around five pillars — Matrutva (maternal and child health), Sanjeevani (lifelong health monitoring through individual health records), Shakti (women's empowerment), Kshema (dignified and productive ageing), and Naipunya (skill development across life stages) — each designed to reinforce the other in a mutually supportive architecture.

Women's Empowerment at the Centre

The Minister underlined that women's empowerment was central to the success of the new policy. The framework aims to raise women's participation in the workforce from the current level to 60 per cent — an increase of over 25 percentage points — over the next decade, which the government estimates would contribute a 15 per cent increase in the state's Gross State Domestic Product.

The policy also proposes to bring down the proportion of women undergoing sterilisation from the current 70 per cent to 50 per cent within five years, and to extend free infertility treatment services to the estimated 12 lakh families in the state facing fertility-related challenges.

Chief Minister's Initiative

Attributing the policy initiative to Chief Minister Naidu's foresight in anticipating long-term demographic challenges, the Minister said the framework had emerged from the Chief Minister's thinking on proactively addressing problems before they reached a point of no return.

The Minister called on the public, media, and civil society to engage actively with the policy document once released, and to support the building of a broader social movement around population stabilisation. "The next ten years are critical. We must achieve a fertility rate of 2.10 by 2035 to lay the foundation for a stable and prosperous Andhra Pradesh," he said.

New Chairperson, Members Assume Charge of Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights

Vijayawada: Vetukoori AVS Suryanarayana Raju assumed charge as the new Chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) on Monday, along with six newly appointed members, at a ceremony held at the State Commission office.

The six members who took oath and assumed charge are K.G. Venkata Padmalatha, Dr. Dhoni Srinivas Murthy, Undavalli Gandhi Babu, Challa Madhusudana Rao, Mandala Ganga Suryanarayana and P. Naga Manasa. The assumption of charge took place in the presence of Commission Secretary Umadevi, who along with the staff extended warm greetings to the newly constituted body.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Chairperson Vetukoori AVS Suryanarayana Raju said the commission would work earnestly to lay a strong foundation for the bright future of children in the state. He expressed the collective resolve of the members to position Andhra Pradesh as a leader in child rights protection at the national level through coordinated efforts.

The Chairperson further stated that the commission, working in close coordination with state and district level officials, would strive to establish Andhra Pradesh as a truly Child Friendly State. He and the members appealed to the public to bring any violations of child rights to the commission's attention without delay, assuring prompt action in all such cases.

The new commission assumes charge at a time when child welfare and protection have gained increased policy attention across the country, and is expected to build on the work of its predecessor in strengthening the institutional framework for safeguarding children's rights in the state.

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday served notice on the state government to take immediate action to protect Hindu temple lands from encroachment, restore dilapidated shrines, and ensure that temple revenues are channelled back into the institutions they belong to. State BJP president PVN Madhav, who spearheaded the effort, said petitions to this effect were submitted at collectorate offices across the state.

The demand follows extensive ground-level outreach conducted under the party's 'Janata Varadhi' programme, during which Madhav and party workers toured villages and towns and found widespread disquiet among temple trustees and devotees over the fate of religious endowments. "Hindu temples are not merely places of worship. They are living symbols of our civilisation and the faith of crores of people," he said.

Madhav reserved sharp words for the violence that accompanied recent incidents in Akividu, calling the attacks unacceptable and pressing the government to identify and act firmly against those responsible for instigating the trouble.

On the question of temple lands, he cited figures suggesting that of roughly 4.7 lakh acres of endowment lands across the state, as many as 1.5 lakh acres have been encroached upon. He flagged what he described as a disturbing pattern — lands being absorbed into private survey numbers, ostensibly in the name of development, and attempts to transfer urban temple properties to private individuals through long-term lease arrangements. He called on the government to step back from any plan to regularise such encroachments, warning that it would amount to legitimising what was essentially a transfer of religious assets.

The BJP leader pressed for a full-scale survey of all temple lands, strict action against those found to be in unlawful possession, and the restitution of encroached properties to the temples concerned. He also urged that funds generated by temples be ring-fenced for their own upkeep, festival expenses, and the restoration of structures that have fallen into disrepair.

Concluding his remarks, Madhav said the petition drive represented far more than a routine memorandum. "This is the voice of Hindu society," he said, adding that the party would hold the government accountable if its demands were not addressed.