VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that his government would bring out a “comprehensive and a better” Bill in place of the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 which was passed last year to pave way for setting up three capitals, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday averred that the Bill was introduced with an intention to develop all the regions including the backward north coastal Andhra districts with the spirit of the Sri Bagh pact. “The results of the Bills would have borne fruit by now had the process of three capitals started immediately after the Bills were passed,’’ Jagan noted.
Jagan made a statement in the Assembly after the finance minister introduced the Bill to Repeal the AP Capital Region Development Authority Repeal Act, 2020 and The Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020. The Bill was passed in the Assembly by voice vote.
The Chief Minister went on to add that the centralised development theory (by the previous government) had been opposed by the people and it was vindicated in the 2019 general elections. “The people’s verdict is clear that they are opposed to the ‘Super Capital’ model like Hyderabad and governments should not make historic blunders like that,’’ Jagan said and added that his government took steps with decentralisation as its policy. Stating that his government has taken into consideration and is fulfilling the aspirations of people of all regions, castes and religions, Jagan said it is the reason why people have been blessing his government in all the elections held in the past two-and-a-half years.
Explaining how Hyderabad was made as the Capital depriving Guntur and Kurnool of both the Capital status, Jagan said they have taken the aspirations of the people of the two regions and also the spirit of the Sri Bagh Pact into consideration while going for three capitals.
“The decision of the previous Chandrababu Naidu government to set up the capital in Amaravati was a controversial one and was against the recommendations of the Srikrishna Committee report. Even after knowing this, the then government decided to construct the capital in 50,000 acres,’’ Jagan said. The Chief Minister went on to add that he does not have enmity with the people of Amaravati region. “I own a house here and I love this region,’’ he said.
Questioning as to whether the future generations still have to migrate to Hyderabad or Bengaluru for jobs, the Chief Minister said it is with a view to change the scenario that his government proposed to set up executive capital in Visakhapatnam, which is already developed and is the “biggest city” in the State.Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath, who tabled the Bill, said the government intended to bring a balanced regional development in the State and shall have a re-look after due considerations.
He said majority of the Central institutions like BHEL, ECIL, and HAL were established in Hyderabad, which became engines of development resulting in the growth of ancillary units in the private sector, and followed by increased revenue of that particular city. However, states like Uttar Pradesh established BHEL in Haridwar, Tamil Nadu took it to Trichy and decentralised such institutions to tier-2 and tier-3 cities for a balanced growth.
The Finance Minister stated that the previous TDP government also repeated the same mistake in 2014 after the State bifurcation and without considering recommendations of the Committee reports it had initiated to build a capital in an area of 7,500 sq km while Mumbai’s extent is just 4,300 sq km.
Sri Bagh Pact
On November 18, 1937, the Sri Bagh pact was signed. Kurnool was made as the capital of the new state after the division of Andhra State from the Madras state. As per the second State Resolution Commission, capital was shifted to Hyderabad upon formation of Andhra Pradesh