Anantapur: Pro-Rayalaseema organisations are planning agitations against the government for not considering Amaravati as a free zone prior to shifting offices from Hyderabad.
In the wake of past experiences of cut in employment opportunities in Hyderabad and confusion over the free zone, the issue has gained urgency following the rapid shifting of government offices to the Amaravati capital.
The demand for priority to Rayalaseema and also Uttarandhra (north Andhra) in the state capital zone instead of giving priority to the people of capital zone area is on the rise. Experts suspect that more than 20-30 percent of employment opportunities would be hit for the other zones – Rayalaseema and Uttarandhra — if the capital zone is not declared as free zone by providing opportunities to all parts of the state.
As already Rayalaseema and Uttarandhra districts had raw deal during post bifurcation programmes and no special packages were announced for development of the backward districts by the Centre, migration rate of unemployed youths to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is on rise.
Rayalaseema Intellectual Forum, convener, Dr Geyanand said the government needs various employees to run offices at new state capital after shifting head offices. Though, regular recruitment will not be there with immediate effect, more than 15,000 employees may be taken on outsourcing or contract basis at Amaravati.
