VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said that Amaravati’s development was ‘unstoppable’, citing farmers’ sacrifices, firm planning, and full support from the Union government as the key forces driving the capital’s revival.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the headquarters of 15 public sector banks and insurance companies along with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Chief Minister said the Centre had played a decisive role in pulling Andhra Pradesh out of financial distress after years of setbacks.
He said the capital works had regained momentum due to the Centre’s cooperation and the proactive role played by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The CM thanked her for ensuring steady financial support for Amaravati’s reconstruction.
Naidu said projects worth Rs 15,000 crore had been earmarked for capital rebuilding, while Rs 1,334 crore was being invested in constructing the new bank and insurance headquarters, which would generate employment for 6,556 people. With this initiative, Amaravati would emerge as a major financial hub, he added.
The CM also highlighted the signing of an MoU between the Capital Region Development Authority and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics to build an international-standard planetarium in Amaravati. He said the State had already launched projects worth Rs 56,000 crore in the capital region and had ensured connectivity through seven national highways, with a railway line to follow soon.
Praising the Centre’s GST reforms, the Chief Minister said GST 2.0 had strengthened the economy while benefiting ordinary citizens. He also thanked the Union government for sanctioning Rs 1,000 crore for constructing a new diaphragm wall at the Polavaram project and reaffirmed that the project would be completed by 2027.
Referring to irrigation and drought mitigation, the CM sought Central assistance for the Polavaram–Nallamala project, the Rayalaseema drought mitigation scheme, and the implementation of the Purvodaya programme. “If the Centre supports us for five years, Andhra Pradesh will emerge as the backbone of India’s growth,” he said.
The Chief Minister urged the Centre to extend the deadline for capital gains tax exemptions for Amaravati farmers, stating that delays caused by the previous government had deprived them of legitimate benefits. “The sacrifices of 29,000 farmers who pooled 34,000 acres of land must never be forgotten,” he said.
Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, Ministers Lokesh, Ponguru Narayana, Payyavula Keshav, and local MLA Sravan Kumar attended.