Union minister slams YSRC for reneging on Amaravati as AP’s capital

VIJAYAWADA: Union minister of state for social justice A. Narayana Swamy accused YSR Congress government of reneging on its promise of developing Amaravati as AP’s capital.

Speaking to media persons on Thursday, he maintained that wherever there is legislature, that place should be developed as capital city. In this context, the union minister said even though Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised to develop Amaravati as capital city when campaigning for YSRC as leader of opposition, but he changed his mind soon after becoming the Chief Minister.

“The CM is cheating people of the state,” Narayana Swamy maintained.

The union minister declared that centre is fulfilling all assurances made to AP at the time of its bifurcation. It has taken up construction of major projects at Amaravati. He asked why ruling party has stopped development works in Amaravati and wants to develop it as a mere district and not capital city.

Narayana Swamy regretted that there is no proper response from AP government on implementation of proposals in AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He asked why YSRC government has failed in contributing its share for construction of houses by AP Township and Infrastructure Development Corporation. He opined that whichever party that assumes power, it has the responsibility of completing the developmental projects initiated by the earlier government.

The union minister said he has instructed officials concerned to complete construction of TIDCO houses and hand them over to beneficiaries within two months.

Narayana Swamy pointed out that while reviewing development of NTR district, he asked officials to be serious about attending to water problems in 72 villages, where kidney failure cases are prevalent as the water there has 25 mg of silicon in it.

The union minister suggested to officials that potable water could be provided to these 72 villages under the Atal Bhujal Yojana.