CM Chandrababu Urges People Not To Believe ‘False Campaigns’ Over Data Centres

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has urged people not to believe what he described as misleading campaigns against the proposed data centre projects in the state. He said some critics were raising concerns over water availability without understanding the wider economic and technological benefits of the projects.

Addressing the ‘Swarna Andhra-Swachh Andhra’ programme at Alamanda Kothuru village in the Madugula constituency on Saturday, Naidu said complaints about falling water levels were being made even though construction of the proposed data centres had not yet begun. He appealed to people to examine the facts before believing such claims.

Naidu said the arrival of one data centre project had opened the possibility of five major projects being established in the state. If these facilities collectively reach a capacity of 5 GW, Andhra Pradesh could create opportunities for large numbers of AI and technology professionals and strengthen its position in the emerging digital economy.

The Chief Minister said the combined water requirement of the proposed data centres would be around 3.5 TMC. He added that the government planned to bring water from the Polavaram project to Anakapalli and use it to fill local tanks. Godavari water would be brought to the district in the first week of September, he said.

Naidu also said it was encouraging to see children showing interest in AI and data centre technology. He described the proposed arrival of the country's first quantum computer in Andhra Pradesh as a matter of pride.

He said Anakapalli, which was previously viewed as lagging in attracting investments, was now emerging as a major investment destination. The district is expected to receive several large projects, including the ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel plant, while the proposed Google data centre near Visakhapatnam, involving an investment of around ₹1.35 lakh crore, is expected to further strengthen the region's digital infrastructure ecosystem.

Naidu also criticised the previous YSRCP government, alleging that it neglected road development while focusing on welfare programmes. He said the coalition government had initiated measures to improve roads and infrastructure.

On politics, he urged voters to reject the influence of money, saying this would help make political leaders more accountable. He also alleged that the previous government was associated with destruction, crime and irregularities, including claims relating to illicit liquor.

On recruitment, Naidu said the government had overcome nearly 300 court petitions concerning the Mega DSC and completed teacher appointments. He asserted that there was no corruption in the recruitment process.

He further alleged irregularities in the evaluation of the 2018 Group-1 examination under the previous government, claiming that unqualified persons were involved in evaluating answer scripts. He said these allegations were among the reasons behind the opposition's criticism of the present DSC recruitment process.

The Chief Minister also stressed the need to promote sports along with education, stating that the government had increased the sports quota in jobs from 2% to 3% in accordance with central government policy.