Amaravati, Nov 21 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday promised to strengthen the police setup and implement criminal laws strictly, saying development of any country or state is possible only if there is effective law and order.

The Chief Minister told the Assembly that the state can attract investments only if effective law and order is maintained and the youth will get employment opportunities only if there are investments in the state.

Naidu announced that the police setup will be strengthened and the 6,100 vacant posts in the department will be filled soon.

"There will be no development if people live in fear. If industries are set up, employment can be generated and for industries to be established investments should be made. Strong measures and stringent laws are necessary for providing a peaceful atmosphere," the Chief Minister said, making a statement on the A.P. Prevention of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land Grabbers (Amendment) Bill-2024 and A.P. Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill-2024.

Pointing out that the previous government did not conduct even a single review meeting on the abuse of ganja, the Chief Minister said that at that time if the narcotic substance was seized in any part of the country, the roots were found in Andhra Pradesh.

When the TDP staged protests against this, the party office was attacked, he said.

Regretting that the YSRCP chief Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy is defending all those who are posting objectionable comments on his own sister and mother, Naidu said that he really felt distressed on seeing the obscene comments posted against the family members of Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan.

He said these elements resorted to character assassination of the Dalit woman Home Minister, Vangalapudi Anitha.

The leaders in the previous ruling dispensation resorted to organised crime on social media, the Chief Minister remarked.

To completely check this trend, a national forensic science campus will be established in the State, he announced.

The Chief Minister told the House that the previous government had brought in the Land Titling Act only to encourage the land mafia. Terming this Act as a conspiracy and against the provisions of the Constitution, he said that taking advantage of this law, the previous government raised curtains for cheating and even snatched the powers of the judicial officers.

After noticing all these issues, the Chief Minister said that he revoked the law immediately after assuming power. Naidu also made it clear that anyone who resorts to any kind of irregularities with regard to land or if illegally occupies land such persons will be sent to jail.

-