VIJAYAWADA: CM Chandrababu Naidu has instructed the Amaravati Development Corporation Ltd (ADCL) to develop greenery in the capital region, which may help bring down mercury levels in Amaravati by six-ten degrees Celsius. He said 2018 would be a defining year for Amaravati as the capital city would get a definitive shape in coming six months.
Speaking to the media after a whirlwind inspection of the ongoing works in the capital region on Saturday, the chief minister observed that the central government has a responsibility to generously extend financial support for State capital construction. "Even in its making, Amaravati is contributing crores of rupees to the central government in the form of income tax, central excise tax, service tax and other taxes. Once it is ready, it will contribute hundreds and thousands of crores of rupees to the country. However, the Centre is not even giving the amount it has given to other states to erect statues," he said, adding that works worth Rs24,000 crore were underway in Amaravati.
He also said a few investors were apprehensive about investing in Amaravati because of false propaganda being done by the Opposition parties. "The state will end up losing significantly if the investors do not come forward. Therefore, making false propaganda would only hurt us. Those criticising the Capital will be noted as traitors in the history," Naidu said.
Inspecting the nursery and other green zones developed by ADCL in Venkatapalem and other villages, the CM expressed displeasure over the greenery developed so far, and directed the officials to make greenery development a priority. He further observed the houses for All India Service officials, APNGOs and the 320-km road network will be ready as per the stipulated time. "All the work done so far would be clearly visible in six months as the capital city would get a shape by then," he said.
Ministers Prathipati Pulla Rao, P Narayana and Nakka Anand Babu, Tadikonda MLA T Sravan Kumar, Principal Secretary (CRDA) Ajay Jain, ADCL Chairperson and Managing Director D Lakshmi Parthasarathi, CRDA Commissioner Cherukuri Sreedhar and other officials also accompanied the CM during his inspection.