VISAKHAPATNAM: Minister for Industries and IT Gudivada Amarnath on Thursday asked the Opposition TDP to specify its stand on Visakhapatnam as executive capital of the State. Speaking to mediapersons at the airport, Amarnath flayed the Opposition parties for denouncing the announcement of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during his visit to Srikakulam district on Wednesday that he would function from Visakhapatnam from September. He refuted the charge of TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and other leaders that Jagan made the statement so as to divert the public attention from the YSRC government's failures on all fronts.
The four major projects for which the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone on Wednesday, would help promote rapid development of backward Srikakulam district, he said. Highlighting the initiatives taken for the development of Uttarandhra, he said three medical colleges, a tribal engineering college and a kidney research centre are being set up with Rs 1,500 crore in the Srikakulam district. An international greenfield airport will be constructed at Bhogapuram with Rs 3,500 crore. The government is committed to all-round development of Visakhapatnam, he said.
“In a democracy a Chief Minister can function from anywhere in the State. No system can prevent him. Jagan will function from Visakhapatnam from September and the State administration will also move to Visakhapatnam. Neither Naidu nor his party leaders should have any doubt in this regard. Visakhapatnam is the future of the State,” he asserted.