VIJAYAWADA: The state government on Monday introduced two crucial Bills -- Decentralisation of Governance and Inclusive Development of All The Regions of the State of AP and Repeal of the AP Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014 -- intended to create three capitals, Legislative in Amaravati, Executive in Visakhapatnam and Judicial in Kurnool, in the State Assembly.
Introducing the Bill on decentralisation in the House, Legislative Affairs and Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said soon after the bifurcation of the State, the decision to locate the Capital was arrived without considering the recommendations of the KS Sivaramakrishnan Committee, appointed under Section 6 of the AP Reorganisation Act.
"The model of governance adopted was a replication of what was followed in the United State of AP with all seats of governance and development patters limited to a capital region, aimed at creation of a `honeypot' depriving of economic development of other regions,'' the minister said.
Rajendranath Reddy said to ensure equitable and decentralised development, the government, after going through reports of various committees came up with the Bill.
Earlier in the day, the AP state Cabinet met under the leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and gave its nod to the report submitted by the High Power Committee which studied the GN Rao Committee and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reports on decentralised development in the State.
The Cabinet meeting and Assembly sessions were held amid tight police cover in the Amaravati capital villages and Vijayawada and Guntur cities to prevent agitators from laying siege to the State Assembly protesting the government's proposal of shifting Secretariat from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam as part of the three-capital plan.
Bus services from Vijayawada to Guntur were also stopped anticipating trouble.
The Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi giving a call to storm the Assembly during the session protesting the proposed move of the government to shift Secretariat from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam.
The TDP and other parties have extended their support to the Chalo Assembly call.
Police have closed the Prakasam Barrage connecting Vijayawada to Amaravati capital area and all the roads leading to Secretariat have been fortified with security forces.
Several TDP leaders including the party MPs, MLCs, former ministers and ex-MLAs and key leaders from across the state were placed under house arrest by the police.
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE BILL ON DECENTRALISATION:
Three Capitals - Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Area to be called as Legislative Capital, Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Area to be called as Executive Capital and Kurnool Urban Development Area to be called as Judicial Capital.
Raj Bhavan, Secretariat and offices of the Heads of Departments shall be located at Executive capital.
All judicial institutions established under State legislation to be located at Judicial capital.
State government to take steps for relocation of Principal Seat of HC of AP to the Judicial Capital.
Establishment of Zonal Planning and Development Boards for the Zones to be created.