diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build_and_push.yml
similarity index 58%
rename from .github/workflows/build.yml
rename to .github/workflows/build_and_push.yml
index 5c9dc2c2..0c61b65c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_and_push.yml
@@ -1,66 +1,43 @@
-# Copyright 2020 The OpenEBS Authors. All rights reserved.
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
-name: build
+name: Build and Push
 
 on:
-  create:
   push:
     branches:
-      - 'develop'
-      - 'v*'
+      - develop
+      - "release/**"
     paths-ignore:
-      - '*.md'
-      - 'BUILDMETA'
-      - 'changelogs/**'
-      - 'deploy/helm/**'
-      - 'docs/**'
-      - 'LICENSE'
-      - 'MAINTAINERS'
+      - "*.md"
+      - "BUILDMETA"
+      - "changelogs/**"
+      - "docs/**"
+      - "design/**"
+      - "LICENSE"
+      - "MAINTAINERS"
 
 jobs:
   lint:
-    # to ignore builds on release
-    if: ${{ (github.event.ref_type != 'tag') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Shellcheck
-        uses: reviewdog/action-shellcheck@v1
         with:
-          github_token: ${{ secrets.github_token }}
-          reporter: github-pr-review
-          path: '.'
-          pattern: '*.sh'
-          exclude: './.git/*'
+          fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - name: Set up Go 1.19
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+      - uses: cachix/install-nix-action@v22
+      - uses: rrbutani/use-nix-shell-action@v1.1.0
         with:
-          go-version: 1.19.9
-          cache: false
+          file: shell.nix
 
-      - name: Lint Check
-        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v4
-        with:
-          version: v1.56.2
-          args: -E exportloopref,dupl,revive,bodyclose,goconst,misspell -D structcheck --timeout 5m0s
+      - name: Check if the chart follows a valid semver version
+        run: |
+          BRANCH=${{ github.ref_name }}
+          ./scripts/validate-chart-version.sh --branch $BRANCH
+
+      - name: Run chart-testing lint
+        run: |
+          ct lint --config ct.yaml
 
-  unit-test:
-    # to ignore builds on release
-    if: ${{ (github.event.ref_type != 'tag') }}
+  unit-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
@@ -76,15 +53,15 @@ jobs:
         run: make test
 
       - name: Upload Coverage Report
-        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4  
+        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
           file: ./coverage.txt
           name: coverage-$(date +%s)
           flags: unittests
 
-  bdd-test:
-    needs: ['unit-test']
+  bdd-tests:
+    needs: ["unit-tests"]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: true
@@ -108,7 +85,7 @@ jobs:
           driver: none
           kubernetes-version: ${{ matrix.kubernetes }}
           cni: calico
-          start-args: '--install-addons=false'
+          start-args: "--install-addons=false"
 
       - name: Build images locally
         run: make lvm-driver-image || exit 1;
@@ -117,6 +94,8 @@ jobs:
         run: make bootstrap
 
       - name: Running tests
+        env:
+          OPENEBS_NAMESPACE: "openebs"
         run: ./ci/ci-test.sh
 
       - name: Upload Coverage Report
@@ -127,44 +106,14 @@ jobs:
           name: coverage-bdd_coverage-$(date +%s)
           flags: bddtests
 
-  ansible:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: ['lint', 'unit-test', 'bdd-test']
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Set Image Org
-        # sets the default IMAGE_ORG to openebs
-        run: |
-          [ -z "${{ secrets.IMAGE_ORG }}" ] && IMAGE_ORG=openebs || IMAGE_ORG=${{ secrets.IMAGE_ORG}}
-          echo "IMAGE_ORG=${IMAGE_ORG}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-
-      - name: Login to Docker Hub
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
-        with:
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-
-      - name: Build and push the ansible image
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
-        with:
-          file: ./e2e-tests/Dockerfile
-          push: true
-          load: false
-          platforms: linux/amd64
-          tags: |
-            ${{ env.IMAGE_ORG }}/lvm-localpv-e2e:ci
-
   csi-driver:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: ['lint', 'unit-test', 'bdd-test']
+    needs: ["lint", "bdd-tests"]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Set Image Org
-        # sets the default IMAGE_ORG to openebs
         run: |
           [ -z "${{ secrets.IMAGE_ORG }}" ] && IMAGE_ORG=openebs || IMAGE_ORG=${{ secrets.IMAGE_ORG }}
           echo "IMAGE_ORG=${IMAGE_ORG}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
@@ -174,15 +123,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           echo "DATE=$(date -u +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%Z')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-      - name: Set Tag
+      - name: Set IMAGE_TAG and BRANCH
         run: |
-          BRANCH="${GITHUB_REF##*/}"
-          CI_TAG=${BRANCH#v}-ci
-          if [ ${BRANCH} = "develop" ]; then
-            CI_TAG="ci"
-          fi
-          echo "TAG=${CI_TAG}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "BRANCH=${BRANCH}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          BRANCH=${{ github.ref_name }}
+          echo "BRANCH=$BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "IMAGE_TAG=$(awk -F': ' '/^version:/ {print $2}' deploy/helm/charts/Chart.yaml)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       - name: Docker meta
         id: docker_meta
@@ -195,11 +140,11 @@ jobs:
             ghcr.io/${{ env.IMAGE_ORG }}/lvm-driver
           tags: |
             type=raw,value=latest,enable=false
-            type=raw,value=${{ env.TAG }}
+            type=raw,value=${{ env.IMAGE_TAG }}
 
       - name: Print Tag info
         run: |
-          echo "BRANCH: ${BRANCH}"
+          echo "BRANCH: ${{ env.BRANCH }}"
           echo "${{ steps.docker_meta.outputs.tags }}"
 
       - name: Set up QEMU
@@ -247,3 +192,14 @@ jobs:
             DBUILD_REPO_URL=https://github.com/openebs/lvm-localpv
             DBUILD_SITE_URL=https://openebs.io
             BRANCH=${{ env.BRANCH }}
+
+  release-chart:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: ["csi-driver"]
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Publish lvm localpv develop or prerelease helm chart
+        uses: stefanprodan/helm-gh-pages@master
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          charts_dir: ./deploy/helm
diff --git a/.github/workflows/chart-lint-test.yml b/.github/workflows/chart-lint-test.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index fa686075..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/chart-lint-test.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-name: Chart Lint and Test
-
-#on:
-#  push:
-#    paths:
-#      - 'deploy/helm/**'
-#    branches:
-#      - develop
-#  pull_request:
-#    paths:
-#      - 'deploy/helm/**'
-#    branches:
-#      - 'develop'
-#      - 'release/**'
-
-jobs:
-  lint-test:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 0
-
-      - name: Set up Helm
-        uses: azure/setup-helm@v4
-        with:
-          version: v3.14.3
-
-      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-        with:
-          python-version: '3.10'
-          check-latest: true
-
-      - name: Set up chart-testing
-        uses: helm/chart-testing-action@v2.6.1
-
-      - name: Run chart-testing (list-changed)
-        id: list-changed
-        run: |
-          changed=$(ct list-changed --config ct.yaml)
-          if [[ -n "$changed" ]]; then
-            echo "changed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi
-
-      - name: Run chart-testing (lint)
-        run: ct lint --config ct.yaml
-
-      - name: Create kind cluster
-        uses: helm/kind-action@v1.9.0
-        if: steps.list-changed.outputs.changed == 'true'
-        with:
-          config: buildscripts/kind_config.yaml
-
-      - name: Run chart-testing (install)
-        run: ct install --config ct.yaml
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml b/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml
index 47e18d80..9d39acc2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml
@@ -3,16 +3,16 @@ name: Pull Request CI
 on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
-      - 'develop'
-      - 'release/**'
+      - develop
+      - "release/**"
     paths-ignore:
-      - '*.md'
-      - 'BUILDMETA'
-      - 'changelogs/**'
-      - 'docs/**'
-      - 'design/**'
-      - 'LICENSE'
-      - 'MAINTAINERS'
+      - "*.md"
+      - "BUILDMETA"
+      - "changelogs/**"
+      - "docs/**"
+      - "design/**"
+      - "LICENSE"
+      - "MAINTAINERS"
 
 jobs:
   lint:
@@ -29,12 +29,6 @@ jobs:
           go-version: 1.19.9
           cache: false
 
-      - name: Format test
-        run: make format
-
-      - name: bootstrap
-        run: make bootstrap
-
       - name: Lint Check
         uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v4
         with:
@@ -46,19 +40,19 @@ jobs:
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.github_token }}
           reporter: github-pr-review
-          path: '.'
-          pattern: '*.sh'
+          path: "."
+          pattern: "*.sh"
 
       - uses: cachix/install-nix-action@v22
       - uses: rrbutani/use-nix-shell-action@v1.1.0
         with:
             file: shell.nix
 
-      # - name: Check if the chart follows a valid semver version
-      #   run: |
-      #     branch_name="${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}"
-      #     ./scripts/validate-chart-version.sh --branch $branch_name
-  
+      - name: Check if the chart follows a valid semver version
+        run: |
+          branch_name="${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}"
+          ./scripts/validate-chart-version.sh --branch $branch_name
+
       - name: Run chart-testing lint
         run: |
           ct lint --config ct.yaml
@@ -79,7 +73,7 @@ jobs:
         run: make test
 
       - name: Upload Coverage Report
-        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4  
+        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
           file: ./coverage.txt
@@ -87,7 +81,7 @@ jobs:
           flags: unittests
 
   bdd-tests:
-    needs: ['unit-tests']
+    needs: ["unit-tests"]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: true
@@ -96,11 +90,6 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      
-      - uses: cachix/install-nix-action@v22
-      - uses: rrbutani/use-nix-shell-action@v1.1.0
-        with:
-          file: shell.nix
 
       - name: Set up Go 1.19
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
@@ -119,17 +108,18 @@ jobs:
           driver: none
           kubernetes-version: ${{ matrix.kubernetes }}
           cni: calico
-          start-args: '--install-addons=false'
+          start-args: "--install-addons=false"
 
       - name: Setting environment variables
         run: |
           echo "KUBECONFIG=$HOME/.kube/config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "OPENEBS_NAMESPACE=openebs" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       - name: bootstrap
         run: make bootstrap
 
       - name: Running tests
+        env:
+          OPENEBS_NAMESPACE: "openebs"
         run: ./ci/ci-test.sh
 
       - name: Upload Coverage Report
@@ -142,7 +132,7 @@ jobs:
 
   csi-driver:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: ['lint', 'unit-tests', 'bdd-tests']
+    needs: ["lint", "unit-tests", "bdd-tests"]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-charts.yml b/.github/workflows/release-charts.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 29b90c41..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/release-charts.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-name: Release Charts
-
-on:
- push:
-   paths:
-     - 'deploy/helm/**'
-   branches:
-     - develop
-
-jobs:
-  release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 0
-
-      - name: Configure Git
-        run: |
-          git config user.name "$GITHUB_ACTOR"
-          git config user.email "$GITHUB_ACTOR@users.noreply.github.com"
-
-      - name: Install Helm
-        uses: azure/setup-helm@v4
-        with:
-          version: v3.14.3
-
-      - name: Run chart-releaser
-        uses: helm/chart-releaser-action@v1.6.0
-        env:
-          CR_TOKEN: "${{ secrets.CR_TOKEN }}"
-        with:
-          charts_dir: deploy/helm
diff --git a/ci/ci-test.sh b/ci/ci-test.sh
index 5b80a065..0d884afd 100755
--- a/ci/ci-test.sh
+++ b/ci/ci-test.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ fi
 # foreign systemid for the testing environment.
 FOREIGN_LVM_SYSTEMID="openebs-ci-test-system"
 FOREIGN_LVM_CONFIG="global{system_id_source=lvmlocal}local{system_id=${FOREIGN_LVM_SYSTEMID}}"
+CRDS_TO_DELETE_ON_CLEANUP="lvmnodes.local.openebs.io lvmsnapshots.local.openebs.io lvmvolumes.local.openebs.io volumesnapshotclasses.snapshot.storage.k8s.io volumesnapshotcontents.snapshot.storage.k8s.io volumesnapshots.snapshot.storage.k8s.io"
 
 # Clean up generated resources for successive tests.
 cleanup_loopdev() {
@@ -41,10 +42,11 @@ cleanup() {
 
   cleanup_foreign_lvmvg
 
-  kubectl delete pvc -n openebs lvmpv-pvc
+  kubectl delete pvc -n "$OPENEBS_NAMESPACE" lvmpv-pvc
   kubectl delete -f "${SNAP_CLASS}"
 
   helm uninstall lvm-localpv -n "$OPENEBS_NAMESPACE" || true
+  kubectl delete crds "$CRDS_TO_DELETE_ON_CLEANUP"
   # always return true
   return 0
 }
@@ -70,7 +72,6 @@ sudo sed -i '/^[^#]*thin_pool_autoextend_percent/ s/= .*/= 20/' /etc/lvm/lvm.con
 
 # Prepare env for running BDD tests
 # Minikube is already running
-
 helm install lvm-localpv ./deploy/helm/charts -n "$OPENEBS_NAMESPACE" --create-namespace --set lvmPlugin.pullPolicy=Never --set analytics.enabled=false
 kubectl apply -f "${SNAP_CLASS}"
 
@@ -160,10 +161,10 @@ echo "get sc details"
 kubectl get sc --all-namespaces -oyaml
 
 echo "get lvm volume details"
-kubectl get lvmvolumes.local.openebs.io -n openebs -oyaml
+kubectl get lvmvolumes.local.openebs.io -n "$OPENEBS_NAMESPACE" -oyaml
 
 echo "get lvm snapshot details"
-kubectl get lvmsnapshots.local.openebs.io -n openebs -oyaml
+kubectl get lvmsnapshots.local.openebs.io -n "$OPENEBS_NAMESPACE" -oyaml
 
 exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/deploy/helm/charts/Chart.yaml b/deploy/helm/charts/Chart.yaml
index d89f5eff..ee72696a 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/charts/Chart.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/charts/Chart.yaml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 apiVersion: v2
 name: lvm-localpv
 description: CSI Driver for dynamic provisioning of LVM Persistent Local Volumes.
-version: 1.6.2
-appVersion: 1.6.1
+version: 1.7.0-develop
+appVersion: 1.7.0-develop
 icon: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cncf/artwork/master/projects/openebs/icon/color/openebs-icon-color.png
 home: https://openebs.io/
 keywords:
@@ -16,5 +16,5 @@ sources:
 - https://github.com/openebs/lvm-localpv
 dependencies:
   - name: crds
-    version: 1.6.2
+    version: 1.7.0-develop
     condition: crds.enabled
diff --git a/deploy/helm/charts/charts/crds/Chart.yaml b/deploy/helm/charts/charts/crds/Chart.yaml
index 16f48daf..c5d90db1 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/charts/charts/crds/Chart.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/charts/charts/crds/Chart.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 apiVersion: v2
 name: crds
-version: 1.6.2
+version: 1.7.0-develop
 description: A Helm chart that collects CustomResourceDefinitions (CRDs) from lvm-localpv.
diff --git a/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-controller.yaml b/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-controller.yaml
index 4d65181b..345e497f 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-controller.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-controller.yaml
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ spec:
               value: controller
             - name: OPENEBS_CSI_ENDPOINT
               value: unix:///var/lib/csi/sockets/pluginproxy/csi.sock
-            - name: LVM_NAMESPACE
+            - name: OPENEBS_NAMESPACE
               valueFrom:
                 fieldRef:
                   fieldPath: metadata.namespace
diff --git a/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-node.yaml b/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-node.yaml
index a72c83e8..209f5a00 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-node.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/charts/templates/lvm-node.yaml
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ spec:
               value: unix:///plugin/csi.sock
             - name: OPENEBS_NODE_DRIVER
               value: agent
-            - name: LVM_NAMESPACE
+            - name: OPENEBS_NAMESPACE
               valueFrom:
                 fieldRef:
                   fieldPath: metadata.namespace
diff --git a/deploy/helm/charts/values.yaml b/deploy/helm/charts/values.yaml
index 255ca067..aa4453b4 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/charts/values.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/charts/values.yaml
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ lvmPlugin:
     repository: openebs/lvm-driver
     pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     # Overrides the image tag whose default is the chart appVersion.
-    tag: 1.6.1
+    tag: 1.7.0-develop
   ioLimits:
     enabled: false
     containerRuntime: containerd