Andhra Pradesh government will be constituting a high-power committee to study the GN Rao Committee Report and the Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) Report on the comprehensive development of the State and assured the farmers of the region that their problems will be addressed.
Speaking to media after the Cabinet meeting here on Friday, Information Minister Perni Venkataramaiah said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wanted decentralisation of development and equal representation to all regions. He is committed to the creation of the Legislative capital in Amaravati.
"Even the GN Rao Committee wants the government to continue the development activities that are taking place in the region. The farmers of the region should come forward for discussions instead of taking up an agitation," the minister said.
"While the GN Rao Committee has submitted its report, the BCG will be submitting its report in January first week and the high-power committee will study both the reports and give its recommendations on which a decision will be taken," said Venkataramaiah.
The minister further said that if at all the farmers of Amaravati region had to stage a dharna or an agitation, it should be done in front of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu who had pooled in 33,000 acres of land in the region but had not even developed 1,000 acres. "Had Naidu completed the capital construction during his regime, this situation would not have arisen. While he claimed that Rs 1.09 lakh crore was needed for the project earlier, now he is saying that it is a self-financed project."
"With 1.09 lakh crores on hand, the priorities could differ. We think of utilising such money on welfare sector for Aarogyasri, fees reimbursement, irrigation projects, Polavaram, water grid, housing and other such schemes. Should we sacrifice these schemes for a dream city was also discussed at length in the Cabinet meeting," said Venkataramaiah.
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"If Naidu really thought it to be a self-financed project, he could have raised Rs 1.09 lakh crore by selling the 33,000 acres of land. The farmers should ask Naidu why he did not do that and had he done that they need not have taken up the agitation now," he added.
The minister further added that it is a fact that Chandrababu Naidu had 'deceived' the farmers of Amaravati region that a world-class dream capital would be built here. But not even a proper approach road was constructed for the temporary Assembly and the Secretariat by the previous regime.
He also said that not a single permanent structure has been built here. That too it was projected that roads were constructed at a cost of Rs 46 crores per kilometre. Similarly, tenders were called for a never-before financial foreclosure of Rs 50,000 crores for the construction work in the region. People of the state and especially the farmers of the region were deceived in the name of the capital, he alleged.
"Chandrababu Naidu had given priority to boost up the estimates to loot the government exchequer. He even looted at the village level by forming Janmabhoomi committees. Had he really thought of a world-class capital, who was there to stop him?" said Venkataramaiah.
The Sivaramakrishna Commission and the GN Rao Committee had all recommended the decentralisation of power and development and hence Chief Minister Jagan Reddy has indicated the setting up of the executive capital in Visakhapatnam which has the infrastructure ready for the purpose, the minister said. With this the people of backward Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts would also be benefited, he added.
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