VIJAYAWADA: For the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA), it seems that austerity has begun at home. The APCRDA, which is facing cash crush and has put on hold several payments, has now directed all the consultants it engaged for the capital city development project to ‘demobilise’ their teams until further notice.
According to sources, the APCRDA sent a communication to all the consultants, including architects and designers Foster + Partners, on Wednesday in this regard.
“The government of AP is reviewing development works in the capital region. This process may take some time. In view of the above, you are directed to demobilise your teams engaged with the APCRDA from August 1,” the communication sent to the consultants read. There are over a dozen consultants working on various projects in Amaravati, sources said.
The APCRDA has also decided to dispense the special allowance to its employees working on deputation basis. The employees were being paid 30 per cent of basic pay as special allowance over and above their salary from 2016. The previous TDP government agreed to pay the allowance in a bid to encourage officials to join the APCRDA on deputation to work on capital Amaravati.
“Owing to the present financial position and the scope of works in the capital region, it is to inform that the special allowance being paid to employees working in the APCRDA, Vijayawada, including the Land Pooling Scheme unit, administration unit, Guntur, and Amaravati Development Corporation Ltd (ADCL), on deputation basis is dispensed with effect from July 1,” said a circular issued by APCRDA Commissioner and ADCL CMD P Lakshminarasimham.
While the State government has been maintaining a stoic silence on its plans for Amaravati, the latest developments indicate that downsizing of the capital is imminent. Sources further added that the moves suggest that they are aimed at cutting down costs as the APCRDA is facing financial crunch. For the record, even though the APCRDA paid pensions to the landless poor in Amaravati, it is yet to pay the annuity to farmers.
“The capital region is not on the top of the government’s priorities. So, we are figuring out ways to make the payments,” a senior official explained. It is learnt that the officials are also working on strategies to downsize the capital as per the financial position of the government.