AP to run administration out of Vizag from next academic year

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Industries, Gudivada Amarnath, clearing the air on decentralized capitals, has made it clear that the AP government would start its governance out of Visakhapatnam from the next academic year.

He said there is no change in the government's policy to establish 3 capitals.

Addressing the media here, the minister said Visakhapatnam will be the seat of state administration from the next academic year. “Visakhapatnam is the main city and it is in the list of top ten cities in the country. Hence establishing an executive capital in the city is in order.”

He recalled that on December 17, 2019, Chief Minister Jagan Reddy had stated the government's stand on the 3 Capitals and that the government will not take even a single cent of private land for the capital set-up in Visakhapatnam.

Amarnath said, “There is no need to spend lakhs of crores on roads in Amaravati. There is nothing. Vizag can be developed with  lesser  funds.”

He said that their aim is to develop Visakhapatnam on the line of the Beach IT concept. “An investment meet will be held in Visakhapatnam in February next year. It is the government's policy to establish the judicial capital in Kurnool and there is no change in this.”

The minister recalled that the BJP Rayalaseema declaration had sought the high court at Kurnool and asked why the party leaders were now going on a padayatra along with those backing Amaravati as full capital. The bill to shift the capital to Visakha will be introduced in the assembly at the appropriate time, he said.