Babu tells people not to bribe babus

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday directed the people of Andhra Pradesh not to give bribes and rebel against the officials who demand money, saying `I am with you.' Speaking to the media after starting a railway bridge at Dharmavaram in Anantpur, Babu said the people need to change for the better and try to understand societal problems. As for Krishna pushkarams, he said the river festival was not confined to any caste or creed or a region. All people go for river bathing during the pushkarams. Arrangements were being made for all people to take part in the pushkarams. Reminding the people that the State had resolved for reconstruction, he said sapling-planting should be taken on a massive scale. He noted that once upon a time, the Congress had taken up an afforestation drive, but it had failed. Now the people should ensure that this afforestation drive did not fail. The Chief Minister said that it would be made mandatory for those who wished to contest the ZPTC and MPTC elections that they should have planted trees. In a jocular vein, he said officials wanting promotions and students seeking marks should also have planted trees. By 2022, he predicted that AP would be among the three top States in the country. By then, the government would ensure that the people can stand on their own legs economically.