CM Naidu Cites Vajpayee as Focal Point of National Development
A commemorative postal stamp featuring Vajpayee was also released.
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday asserted that the economic and structural reforms initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee remain the focal point of India’s development.
Terming Vajpayee a Yuga Purushudu (man of the era), Naidu said the late leader introduced the concept of good governance to the country, laying foundations that world leaders now admire.
The Chief Minister, alongside Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, unveiled a statue of Vajpayee at Venkatapalem in the capital region to mark the legendary leader's birth anniversary, observed as 'Good Governance Day.'
A commemorative postal stamp featuring Vajpayee was also released.
Addressing a public meeting,Naidu announced the development of Smriti Vanams (memorial parks) dedicated to both Vajpayee and NT Rama Rao. "Vajpayee and NTR shared a deep bond. When the Indira Gandhi government unjustly dismissed the NTR government in 1984, it was Vajpayee and Advani who stood by him. We will develop this region so that the legacies of these two icons remain etched in public memory forever," he said.
Recalling his personal association with the former PM, Naidu credited Vajpayee’s "Open Sky Policy" and the Golden Quadrilateral project for transforming India’s infrastructure. "I saw eight-lane roads in Malaysia and spoke to Vajpayee. His initiatives led to the modernization of the national highway between Chennai and Tada in AP, famous for its waterfalls. If Hyderabad has a world-class greenfield airport today, it is because of Vajpayee’s vision," the CM noted.
Naidu defended the Public-Private Partnership model, which has been proven successful over the last 30 years. "What do you call people who threaten to imprison those creating assets for the public," Naidu asked.
"PPP doesn't mean handing over assets to private individuals; they return to the government after a period. While the Centre provides Viability Gap Funding for such projects, some local 'petty' politicians are creating hurdles," he lamented.
The CM emphasized that while Hitech City triggered the birth of Cyberabad, the upcoming Quantum Valley would signal the rise of Amaravati. He thanked the farmers of Amaravati for donating 34,000 acres for the capital, vowing to make Andhra Pradesh a trendsetter for Viksit Bharat 2047.
