AP CM Speaks About Decentralisation, Assures Development Of AP

Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.,) on the 21st of January, finally spoke about the decision taken by the A.P., Government to have 3 State capitals. 

The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Government passed the A.P., Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, which approves the decentralization of State capitals (Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Kurnool.) 

Clearing the doubts of the farmers and the citizens of Amaravati who are protesting against the YSRCP Government, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “In the history of A.P., today is a very important day. Since the formation of the new state in 2014, many things happened, including historical mistakes by the TDP Government. Since Independence, we lost capital almost six times and we are the only State in the Country to undergo these circumstances. Even as per the Bifurcation Act, despite having Hyderabad as the common capital city for 10 years, we lost it due to the mistakes of Chandrababu Naidu.”

Highlighting important facts from the past, Jagan Mohan Reddy said in the past, the 1937 Sribagh Pact also discussed the State capital and declared Kurnool as the capital in 1953.

Later, after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2014, the Justice Srikrishna Committee studied several aspects of the Human Development Index and suggested decentralisation to ensure development. 

Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also criticised Chandrababu Naidu, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, for lying about the recommendations of the Sivaramakrishnan Committee report.  Mr. Reddy said, “The Committee clearly opposed the construction of super capital in Amaravati region and suggested decentralisation of all departments to extend governance to all 13 districts. The Committee also stated that the capital need not be in the middle of the State.”

Justifying why the YSRCP decided to make Visakhapatnam one of the State capitals, Jagan Mohan Reddy said the State Government is not in a state to spend Rs. 1 lakh crores for the development of Amaravati.  He said to supply drinking water to Rayalaseema for agricultural needs, the Government has to construct new projects. 

Reddy said, “We can develop Visakhapatnam, which is already a top city in the State. The priorities of the State are more important than the iconic buildings and capital expenditure.”

He also assured the Amaravati farmers who are protesting, the State Government was not against the region and the capital city was not shifting but being divided. 

He said, “No injustice will be done to Amaravati but we are serving justice to others.”  He added the legislative assembly would remain in Amaravati and laws would be enacted there.  “We are adding two more capital cities—Visakhapatnam as the executive capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital. “

For farmers, Jagan Mohan Reddy announced a 10 year annuity term for compensation. 

He said, “Benefitting 21,000 families in 29 villages who don’t have land, the pension amount will be increased to Rs. 5,000 from the existing Rs. 2,500. The TDP Government grabbed lands under land pooling from SC, ST and minorities. They were given less area of house land. All that will be changed now. Amaravati will be developed in all aspects and the government will transform it into a great city.”

After the approval of the State Government, the new capitals of Andhra Pradesh would be Visakhapatnam, Kurnool and Amaravati. 

Stay tuned for further updates.