VIJAYAWADA: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana has said that the State is left without a capital after bifurcation due to political reasons. Though Hyderabad could have served as a joint capital for ten years, the government chose to establish a new capital to ensure governance closer to the people.
He recalled that the Centre had constituted the Sivaramakrishnan Committee, which gathered public opinion, with a significant number favouring the Vijayawada-Guntur region. After detailed studies, Amaravati was selected for its central location and connectivity by road, rail and air.
He explained that the government adopted the globally unique land pooling system, under which nearly 29,966 farmers voluntarily contributed about 34,400 acres within 58 days in 2015.
In return, farmers were offered residential and commercial plots along with annual financial support. Despite criticism and “misinformation” about the viability of the land, the project moved forward with a vision to develop Amaravati among the world’s top cities, supported by master plans prepared with international expertise.
The Minister said that between 2014 and 2019, works worth over `41,000 crore were initiated, but the subsequent government halted projects and introduced the three-capital concept, creating uncertainty. He alleged that key legislation like the CRDA Act was scrapped and development activities were stalled, causing distress to farmers.
Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha highlighted the role of women farmers in the Amaravati movement, calling it one of the largest people’s movements after Independence. She said women from all walks of life, including the elderly and pregnant, participated in protests and endured hardships. The resolution, she added, should be dedicated to their resilience and sacrifice.
Vijayawada West MLA Sujana Chowdary described Amaravati as the ‘brainchild’ of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said the current resolution aims to restore confidence among farmers. He criticised past decisions that, according to him, derailed the capital project and led to financial losses. Local MLA Sravan Kumar, Rampachodavaram MLA Miriyala Sirisha, Anakapalli MLA Konathala Rama Krishna, MLA K Srinivasulu also spoke.