TD slams Modi bias against Amaravati, Rs 44,000 crore for Dholera

Hyderabad: To expose the partiality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in sanctioning of funds for the construction of capital city Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, the ruling Telugu Desam (TD) party has taken up the development of Dholera smart city in Gujarat, the home state of the Prime Minister. 

The TD alleged that the Prime Minister was giving huge funds for Dholera and neglecting Amaravati while promising to develop it on par with the National Capital Delhi. 

For the construction of Capital city in Amaravati, the Central Government had sanctioned only Rs 2,500 crores and released Rs 1,500 crores in the last four years. 

But the same Central Government is developing Dholera with around Rs 44,000 crores and has so far released around Rs 5,000 crores. 

Andhra Pradesh Government’s argument is that Gujarat has a capital city in addition to other four big cities and now Dholera is being developed twice to Mumbai in size but Andhra Pradesh has no capital city after the state’s bifurcation.  Andhra Pradesh Government said that priority should be give to AP for the construction of capital city than Dholera in Gujarat.

Dholera is the dream project of Modi while he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. After he became the Prime Minister, he concentrated on Dholera and pumped in funds. TD former MP and Special representative of AP in Delhi Kambhampati Ram Mohan Rao said that the BJP leaders had been criticising on using around 33,000 acres for Amaravati city. 

Mr Rao said in fact out of 33,000 acres for the construction of capital city in Amaravati only about 600 acres are available. He also said that for the development of Dholera, the Gujarat government is acquiring around one lakh acres of land.

“Gujarat has a capital city and five more major cities and has Central Government’s funds now for Dholera city’s development,” the TD former MP said. 

He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi in showing partiality by releasing small amounts to Amaravati while releasing huge funds for Dholera. 

Funds sanctioned

For Amaravati - Rs 2,500cr.
For Dholera - Rs 44,000 cr.
Funds released
For Amaravati - Rs 1,500cr.
For Dholera -  Rs 5,000 cr.
City area
Dholera - 920 sq Km
Amaravati - 217 sq Km

Land acquired
For Amaravati - 33,000 acres
For Dholera - 92,000 hectares