VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh state cabinet has on Friday decided to appoint a high powered committee to study the capital relocation proposal under the decentralization of development plan of the state.
This comes against the backdrop of several YSR Congress ministers during the past week, increasingly hinting of an upcoming approval of the three capitals proposal, with Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, for the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday.
But surprisingly, the capital shifting process took a twist when the cabinet decided to wait till it received a report from the Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) on shifting the centralised capital from Amaravati.
It further decided to appoint a high powered committee to study the reports of the G.N. Rao-headed expert committee and the BCG reports.
Ministers, senior officials and experts would be appointed to the high powered committee, which will study the two reports and submit its report within three weeks.
Addressing media after the cabinet meeting, Perni Venkataramaiah, minister for information, said, “The AP government has constituted a high powered committee to study reports from the G.N. Rao Committee and the Boston Consultancy Group on the comprehensive development of the state, including the capital relocation issue.”
The minister further said, “Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy wants decentralization of development and equal representation to all regions. He is committed to completing work on creation of the legislative capital in Amaravati. Even the G.N. Rao Committee wants the government to continue development activities taking place in the region.”
Mr Venkataramaiah said, “While the G.N. Rao Committee has submitted its report, the BCG will submit its report in the first week of January. The high-powered committee will study both reports and give its recommendations, based on which, a final decision would be taken.”
He said, “With Rs 1.09 lakh crore on hand, priorities could differ. We will utilise such that on welfare sector for Aarogyasri, fees reimbursement, irrigation projects, Polavaram, water grid, housing and other such schemes. The cabinet meeting also discussed if we should sacrifice these schemes for a dream city at length.”
“The Sivaramakrishna and G.N. Rao Committees had both recommended decentralization of power and development. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has indicated setting up of an executive capital in Visakhapatnam, which has infrastructure ready for the purpose. With the relocation of capital, people in the backward districts of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam would also be benefited,” the YSRC minister said.
Mr Venkataramaiah refuted allegations by Opposition about leaking information of the G.N. Rao expert committee before its submission by the Chief Minister, saying, “Mr Reddy had only said let us all think about the three capitals scheme from the perspective of decentralized development.”
Responding to the statement of V. Vijaya Sai Reddy, YSRC Rajya Sabha MP, on the relocation of the AP capital to Visakhapatnam, the minister clarified, “Mr Vijay Sai Reddy is the YSRC in-charge of Visakhapatnam district. Hence, he might have aired his personal views. But the government has not yet taken any decision about shifting of the capital from Amaravati.”
“The government will take a final decision on the report of high powered committee on capital relocation. The relocation of capital to Visakhapatnam is the best option for the state given the financial condition. The YSRC government will place all details in front of the public before taking a decision on capital shift.”
