Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was congratulated by ministers, senior officials and district collectors on Thursday after he was conferred the Business Reformer of the Year award by The Economic Times, recognising his wide-ranging administrative and economic reforms.

During the Fifth District Collectors’ Conference at the Secretariat, where Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, ministers K Atchannaidu and Payyavula Keshav highlighted the Chief Minister’s reform-driven governance since assuming office for a fourth term. They noted that over the past 18 months, Naidu had focused on rebuilding Andhra Pradesh after years of fiscal stress, introducing 25 new policies aimed at attracting investments and restoring investor confidence.

Pawan Kalyan congratulated Chief Minister for receiving the award, saying Andhra Pradesh was progressing steadily under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu. He asserted that the government was working in line with the Chief Minister’s vision and guidance. He called upon all sections to work collectively for the overall development of Andhra Pradesh, emphasising that coordinated efforts were essential to achieve the state’s growth goals.

Minister Keshav said the award reflected the transformation of Andhra Pradesh from stagnation to rapid development under Naidu’s leadership. He credited the Chief Minister for having the courage to implement structural reforms, recalling that Andhra Pradesh was among the first states in the country to adopt economic and power sector reforms.

Responding to the congratulations, the Chief Minister said he had generally refrained from accepting awards in the past, including honorary doctorates from foreign universities. He stressed that the recognition belonged to his cabinet colleagues, officials and district collectors. Naidu recalled that Andhra Pradesh had consistently ranked at the top in Ease of Doing Business and had now shifted to a “Speed of Doing Business” approach.

He said investments were being approved every month through SIPC and SIPB, with the support of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and cooperation from the Centre. Naidu highlighted the introduction of an escrow account for industrial incentives, an initiative unique among states, and said guidelines would be issued soon. Expressing confidence, he said Andhra Pradesh was regaining trust among investors and industries, proving that the State was firmly back on the path of growth.