Shift to Vizag Speeded Up, Space Identified for AP Officials, Departments

VIJAYAWADA: The state government has speeded up its efforts for shifting government departments to Visakhapatnam for “harmonious and balanced growth” of the state. The government, on Friday, issued GO-2283 for accommodating the camp offices for senior functionaries including ministers at Millenium Towers A&B at Rishikonda.

Earlier, the government appointed a committee to suggest accommodations to ministers and senior officials and space for government offices in Visakhapatnam. The panel submitted its report on October 31.

The government now gave its consent to the committee’s suggestions, paving the way for the shift of government departments to Vizag. The shift, it is said, would help in conducting periodic reviews and monitoring different welfare and development programmes implemented in the north coastal districts.

Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy issued GO-2283 for allotment of office accommodation at Millennium Towers-A & B to important departments for the visits of Chief Minister, ministers and senior government officials for their overnight stay in Visakhapatnam for periodic reviews and monitoring of different welfare and development programmes in north coastal districts.

The government has issued orders to all the secretaries, heads of department and special officers to visit the north coastal districts regularly for periodic review and monitoring of the welfare and development programmes, implementation of the CM’s promises, and the decisions taken in the district review meetings, as also for undertaking field visits along with district officials to familiarize themselves with local requirements.

The government decided to use its own buildings for various departments. Some 2,27,287 sq-ft is available for camp offices for senior functionaries. Camp office space would be earmarked for the remaining senior functionaries.

If own departmental office accommodation is not available, the Millennium Towers-A & B, Rishikonda (1,75,516 sq-ft) can be made use of.

For residences of senior functionaries, residential spaces identified in the government’s own buildings in Visakhapatnam are to be utilised in the first instance.

Further spaces for various government departments would be allotted. The agriculture and cooperative department will have the JD Office, Regional Coding Centre (Lab) at Yendada and APCOB reserved building at Marripalem.

For animal husbandry and fisheries, the JD office building and the regional training centre have been proposed. Identification process is under progress for BC Welfare, Civil Supplies,  EWS Welfare, WCD & S, energy, finance, GAD, higher education, housing, infrastructure & investment, ITE&C, labour, law, minority welfare, planning, public enterprise, social welfare, real-time governance and GVWV&VSWS departments.

For the EFS & T department, forest guest house, the strip of buildings starting from Satyam Computers have been recommended.

The regional drug store at VIMS, the joint drug control office and the special rooms in VIMS were proposed for the health department.

The district and regional fire office, behind the collectorate, is proposed for the home department. The APIIC zonal office at Kancherlapalem and the Kancherapalem estate office have been proposed for the industries and commerce department.

The Skill Development Institute – GVMC, the Ramnagar Shopping Complex, the New Shopping Complx Sector-XII-MVP, the Kalyana Mandapam Chinamushidiwada and VMRDA are available for the municipal administration and urban development department.

For the Panchayat Raj & Rural Development department, the Guest House at Kailasagiri has been proposed.

For revenue, endowments buildings are available in Simhachalam, for the revenue disaster training centre at Vizianagaram. For school education, the DIET Bheemunipattanam has been proposed.

 The Tribal Research Institute at Rishikonda is available for the tribal welfare department. However, this was included as one of the options for the CM Camp Office.