Hyderabad: Reacting on the ongoing controversy regarding the viability and desirability of the Andhra Pradesh capital city of Amravati, Union minister of state for home affairs G. Kishan Reddy said on Wednesday that the Central government would not take any decision on the changing of AP capital as it is not in its purview.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Mr Reddy said that he thought subject does not come under purview of the Central government, and there was a need for a debate amongst the people of Andhra Pradesh over it.
He was reacting in reference to a statement a day prior by AP municipal minister Botsa Saty-anarayana who said, “I feel that the Sivarama-krishnan committee report is correct, when it felt and opined that Amaravati was not safe as a capital.”
Mr Satyanarayana had also said that there was a need to debate on the Sivaramakrishnan committee report again.
He said that while construction costs Rs 1 lakh in normal areas, it was double in for one in Amaravati. This means public money gets misused. In Amaravati, several places get submerged once it rains, and therefore to mitigate this risk, the State government has to dig new canals and construct new dams.
Mr Satyanarayana’s statement has generated much heat in political circles.
A debate has been triggered by the statement started on this issue and if it implies the government was having a rethink on the capital issue.
