Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has reportedly appointed Dr Ch Naresh as the Chief Executive Officer of the Smart Andhra Pradesh Foundation (SAPF) to advance the P4 (People-Public-Private Partnership for Poverty Alleviation) initiative, launched in March this year.
Dr Naresh, an officer currently serving in the excise and prohibition department, was handpicked by CM Naidu after a rigorous selection process that involved senior officials scrutinising several candidates.
Dr Naresh holds the rank of superintendent in the excise department and had earlier served on deputation with the National Health Mission (NHM), where he was known for launching several welfare-oriented schemes targeted at the underprivileged.
As CEO of SAPF, he will play a pivotal role in engaging with industrialists and philanthropists to implement the P4 initiative aimed at lifting families out of poverty through sustained support and economic empowerment.
The foundation is central to CM Naidu’s vision of creating a ‘Smart Andhra Pradesh,’ with plans to develop smart villages and urban divisions before scaling up across the state.
Under the P4 model, CM Naidu has appealed to industrialists and NRIs to adopt at least four below poverty line (BPL) families from their hometowns, providing financial support and mentorship to help them become self-reliant.
Naidu is said to be personally reaching out to leading industrialists and contractors to encourage participation in the programme, and several have already pledged support.
The SAPF will be steered by a high-level team that includes CM Naidu, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, Principal Finance Secretary Peeyush Kumarand will be vice-chaired by former AP Planning Commission vice-chairman Turlapati Kutumba Rao.
However, while speaking about the new role, Dr Naresh said the foundation aims to accelerate inclusive growth in the state by facilitating strategic collaborations between the government, private sector and civil society.
