Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his delight after meeting Bill Gates, calling it a “wonderful meeting.”
Gates, once the leader of the global tech industry, now holds only the title of Microsoft’s co-founder.
Their discussion lasted 40 minutes, but Naidu’s supporters weren’t as thrilled. In contrast, during Gates’ peak years, Naidu extended a scheduled 10-minute meeting to 45 minutes. Now, how can he find a 40-minute conversation significant? That's what many are wondering about.
Naidu proudly announced discussions on collaboration between the Gates Foundation and the Andhra Pradesh government for development and welfare.
Key areas included modern technology applications in healthcare, education, governance, agriculture, and employment.
Agreements were expected in sectors like health data systems, telemedicine, affordable medical tests, digital education, scientific equipment, public services, and agricultural subsidy distribution via satellite data, as per Naidu. However, no financial details were disclosed.
This raises concerns. The Gates Foundation is known for investing billions in global health initiatives, but will Andhra Pradesh receive any funds? Or will the government be paying Gates massive sums for technological support?
Unlike other foundations that donate to public projects, this deal lacks transparency. If the foundation is offering paid services, the public deserves clarity.
Using Bill Gates' name as a perception game to appease the public is not the right approach. There should be clarity and transparency.
