Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat during his visit to Delhi. During the meeting, Reddy explained his plans to assign four new capitals for the state.
According to News18 report, Reddy has been mulling over the idea to establish capitals in Vizianagaram, Kakinada, Guntur and Kadapa in a bid to decentralise development.
During his meeting with Amit Shah, Reddy highlighted his proposal to make Amaravati only the administrative capital while pushing for development in the other four cities as well. For this, the state government plans to establish Regional Development Boards.
Following the recent flooding of the Krishna River, several political leaders, farmers and members of the business fraternity raised concerns over the city being chosen as the capital.
The Minister for Municipal Affairs Botsa Satyanarayan struck controversy when he said that Amaravati was not the safest capital at all.
Read | 'Amaravati not safe to be capital,' says Andhra minister Botsa Satyanarayana
The cost of construction is also said to be significantly higher in Amaravati as compared to the other areas in the state. Political parties including the opposition Telugu Desam Party and Janasena, however, hit out at the government’s plans to shift the capital city from Amaravati.
Responding to their criticism, Satyanarayana said that the discussions are still going on over the issue.
Among other issues that were taken up during the discussion included the matter of financial aid to the state and reverse tendering in respect of the Polavaram power project.
