Amaravati: American billionaire Bill Gates met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the state secretariat in Amaravati on Monday. Naidu briefed Microsoft founder Bill Gates on several state government initiatives, including WhatsApp governance, the Sanjeevani project, the greenfield capital city of Amaravati, the data lake project, and other initiatives.
Elaborating on the Real Time Governance System (RTGS) through a presentation at the state secretariat, Chief Minister Naidu informed Gates that Andhra Pradesh has synced all departments through a single data lake.
An official press release stated, “Gates Foundation Chairman Bill Gates, along with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, visited the RTGS facility at the Secretariat. Gates observed the use of technology in governance. Naidu explained how administrative services are being delivered faster and the results of real-time governance.”
CM Naidu told the Microsoft founder that the government is collecting real-time information through the Aware 2.0 platform to make quick decisions. The Chief Minister explained how the government collects public feedback on its programs and schemes and said that GSDP growth is regularly estimated using key performance indicators.
The release stated that when Gates asked how property records are being secured, CM Naidu explained that blockchain technology is being used to secure land records, and QR codes are being installed for transparency. The release stated that Gates “praised the tax collection process and described it as excellent,” to which Naidu replied that GST has “exponentially” increased tax collection across the country.
Gates also inquired about the Sanjivani Project, a health record digitization program being run in collaboration with the Gates Foundation in Kuppam, Chittoor district. He also observed how parameters such as blood sugar, diabetes, and other medical tests are being recorded, and praised the “well-functioning” of the Sanjivani Project.
Naidu told Gates that the use of AI is improving public health services, while Gates also learned about the delivery of health services through biodesign. Gates said that affordable diagnostic tests could benefit the poor. The press release further stated that Naidu demonstrated how a greenfield capital city is being built.
Earlier, IT Minister Nara Lokesh, other ministers, and senior officials welcomed Gates at Gannavaram Airport. However, due to dense fog, Gates’ special aircraft had difficulty landing and circled for some time before receiving clearance. Gates then proceeded to the Secretariat, where Chief Minister Naidu welcomed him and introduced him to members of the state cabinet. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and several senior officials were also present during the meeting. Gates was accompanied by a delegation of six members from his foundation.
Chief Minister Naidu said in an X-post, “Welcome back, Mr. Bill Gates! Andhra Pradesh welcomes Bill Gates.”
