The Amaravati region is now approved as the only capital of Andhra Pradesh by the union government, bringing much-needed legislative clarity to the capital region after all these years of uncertainty about the administrative capital of Andhra Pradesh. The union home ministry has allowed Amaravati as the only capital, effective from June 2, 2024.
The decision has been confirmed by Union State Minister of Rural Developments and Communications Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, who said that it has been cleared by the Centre to give full legal status to Amaravati as the state capital. Now, it is believed that it would give strength to the administrative stability and would also help to accelerate the many pending developments.
According to Chandrasekhar, union home minister Amit Shah has assured the representative of the Andhra Pradesh government that the Centre will provide adequate legal protection to ensure that Amaravati retains its status as the capital of the state. He has also confirmed that the matter has already been discussed with the Attorney General of India to provide a legal framework to ensure that the capital does not become the subject of another legal dispute in the future.
The nod has been a major turning point in the case of Amaravati, which was supposed to be the future state capital of Andhra Pradesh, carved out out of the original state in 2014. Although the first phase of development moved at breakneck speed, it got delayed in the later years.
In line with the efforts to enhance Amaravati's administrative identity, soon, the Union government would give a distinct identification to the capital in terms of a new PIN code, STD code, and ISD code. The decision is expected to give a clear marking to Amaravati's position in terms of being the central hub for decision-making for this state.
Discussions will also be held with the Central institutions, which were allotted land in Amaravati, on the basis of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, so as to enable the opening of their offices in the capital area without any further delay, as commitments given during the time of bifurcation have to be fulfilled, added Chandrasekhar.
In another related development, the union minister stated that “the headquarters of the Postal Department, which is under my administrative portfolio, is likely to begin its activities in Amaravati within the next three months. This is coming at a time when there are efforts being made to increase the presence of Central government institutions in the capital city.
Responding to questions about the concerns of farmers who donated land in the form of the capital through the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS), Chandrasekhar said the Government is addressing these in a staged manner. According to him, the government is making consistent efforts to improve the confidence of the affected farmers who lost confidence due to the delay in the implementation of the development commitment.
The minister reiterated the need for enhancing the density of population in Amaravati in order to develop it as a bustling capital. Plans are in the works for comprehensive steps to ensure attraction of investments, job opportunities, and residential development. Talks are anticipated between Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the minister to persuade certain IT companies to set up shop in Amaravati in order to create jobs for the locals.
While throwing light on the infrastructure plan, Chandrasekhar revealed that the government has set its sights on completing the construction of major government buildings within the next two years. These include the high court building, secretariat offices, as well as residential buildings for ministers, MLAs, MLCs, All India Services officers, and government employees. Furthermore, he said that Amaravati will provide a more favorable atmosphere for people to move into the city and establish a permanent stay, hence leading to the organic growth of the city.
At the same time, other projects are also being done to improve the connection between the capital city and the rest of the state via the road and rail network.
Work in relation to LPS layouts is also being accomplished quickly, and it was announced that permissions for private building construction will be obtained once these layouts are accomplished. With a statutory framework realised in place, Amaravati is also set to witness a period of enhanced growth and administrative organization, so that the capital project will look exactly as it was conceived.
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