CM Jagan arriving at Narsipatnam today to lay stone for medical college

VISHAKHAPATNAM: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would reach here by a special flight at 10.20 am on Friday. Later, he would take off from the airport to Baligattam in Narsipatnam mandal in Anakapalli district.

Arriving here at 10.40 am, the Chief Minister would interact with the local YSRC leaders. He would go to Joginathapalem and unveil the plaque for the government medical college, Narsipatnam. He would also unveil the plaque/foundation stone for the Tandava-Yeleru canal link project. Both the projects are estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore.

There was a hue and cry when the police imposed restrictions in Narsipatnam town in view of the Chief Minister’s visit. Hundreds of shops all along the three-km road from helipad to Joginathapalem were asked to close and the hawkers told to keep off the roads till Friday afternoon.

However, Anakapalli SP Gautami Sali issued a release on Thursday evening asking the shopkeepers and traders to continue their business as usual. She said the reports on closure of shops were not true.

Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam claimed that the Chief Minister  is laying the foundation for the medical college in Narsipatnam without permission from the Central government.

Former minister and TD politburo member Ayyanna Patrudu stated this in a video released to the media. He said the Chief Minister laid foundation stones for 16 medical colleges but applied for Central government permission for only seven of these. Of the seven, the Centre gave permission for only three at Paderu, Piduguralla and Machilipatnam, he said.

Initially, Anakapalle was listed among the 16 medical colleges but later the location was changed to Narsipatnam as there was no suitable land for the college in Anakapalli, it was stated.

Construction of each medical college would cost Rs 600 crore and if permission is granted, the central government would bear half the cost.

“Will the government build the colleges with state's own funds when its coffers are empty? The chief minister is misleading the public. He is laying the foundation stones for votes in the next elections,’’ Ayyanna Patrudu said.