At least Rs 2 lakh crore is the estimated cost of building a new capital of the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh. The estimate was prepared by the senior State officials — including Chief Secretary IVR Krishna Rao on the direction of Chief Minister-in-waiting N Chandrababu Naidu.
Naidu, who is all set to be sworn-in as the first Chief Minister of residuary State of Andhra Pradesh on June 8, had a detailed discussions with the officials on various aspects of the proposed new capital, likely to come up between Vijayawada and Guntur.
“The new capital will not be only about some Government buildings. But it should have all the necessary infrastructure and facilities for the common people including hospitals, schools, colleges and commercial establishments. This should also be a hub of companies and business activities,” he told the officials.
Sources said that Naidu wanted the officials to prepare detail proposals to seek the financial aid from the Centre for building the new capital city. Naidu was keen to start work at the earliest as he does not want to depend on Hyderabad as a joint capital for a long time. He promised to develop the capital as a world class city.
Naidu also discussed with the officials various other issues including the division of IAS officials, irrigation projects and power situation as well as the arrangements for the swearing in ceremony. He has also focused his attention on the revenue deficit of the State, which was projected to be around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 crore. Preparations for the swearing-in ceremony have begun at a sprawling ground opposite Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur.
Naidu has also started extending invitations to the top political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has also written personal letters to the Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of 11 States. They include the CMs of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Punjab and Nagaland apart from the BJP ruled States of Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Bihar was missing from the list.