VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has emphasised that cooperation, coordination, and mutual trust between the Centre and States are essential to resolve inter-state issues and transform Southern India into a $10 trillion-plus global economic powerhouse by 2047.
Speaking at the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Kovalam near Chennai on Thursday, Naidu highlighted that the five Southern States currently contribute nearly 31% to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He pointed to specific GSDP vision targets—including $2.4–3.4 trillion for Andhra Pradesh, $2.6 trillion for Tamil Nadu, and $1 trillion for Karnataka—underscoring that regional growth is deeply interconnected with achieving the broader national vision of a $30–35 trillion Viksit Bharat.
To drive this collective progress, the chief minister proposed a transformative regional agenda centered on seamless connectivity and shared infrastructure.
Key proposals included a high-speed bullet train corridor connecting Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka via Kuppam to link Amaravati, Bengaluru, and Chennai, alongside integrated logistics and dry-port networks.
Naidu for integration of southern & nat’l grids
He also advocated for direct integration of the Southern Grid with the National Power Grid, a joint consortium of universities and skilling institutions, a dedicated Disaster Management Mutual Aid Force, and an integrated heritage and spiritual tourism circuit linking southern pilgrimage sites like Tirupati, Srisailam, Kanchipuram, Madurai, Rameshwaram, and Mysuru with Varanasi, Ayodhya, and the Char Dham.
Highlighting key State initiatives and resources, he underscored Amaravati’s statutory capital status, detailing its sustainable design featuring 51% green space, 10% water bodies, and a “Quantum Valley” developed in partnership with IBM, TCS, and IIT Madras to host India’s largest quantum computer.
On social welfare, he cited the Talliki Vandanam scheme, which provides Rs 15,000/year per child to support over 67 lakh students and 43 lakh mothers to reduce school dropout rate. Addressing long-term water security across AP’s 40 rivers, 38,628 minor irrigation tanks, and 19 lakh agricultural borewells, Naidu called for coordinated action on the Godavari–Cauvery river-linking project to divert over 500 TMC of surplus floodwater through Polavaram, Krishna, and Penna.
He advocated for a national Ganga–Cauvery link and urged the Centre to establish a Southern River Basins Coordination Mechanism for time-bound DPR clearances to permanently resolve water stress across the region.
Reassessing bifurcation commitments 12 years after the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, Naidu noted that Schedule IX and X institutions remain undivided and the Section 66 reference has been pending for nine years.
He urged the Union Government to expedite the resolution of pending AP Reorganisation Act issues—including Section 56 resource gaps—and fast-track approvals for Schedule XIII projects such as Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada Metro Rail, JSW Kadapa rail link, BPCL refinery, and Dugarajapatnam Port.
Naidu concluded by reaffirming AP’s commitment to cooperative federalism.
