Three years after the “UPA Government mercilessly threw the people of Andhra Pradesh on the road”, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu wants to showcase the completed first phase of his ambitious Greenfield “people-owned” capital Amaravati when he faces the electorate again in 2019. Hence, active politics has taken a back seat for him for now as “there’s still much time for elections”.
With Rs 18,000-crore private investments in varied sectors pledged, 60,000 developed plots with collective market value of Rs 4 lakh crore returned to farmers who gave their land for the capital and three major universities starting their operations in Amaravati, Naidu said it’s just the beginning of world-class things to come.
The NDA, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will return to power in 2019 and so will the TDP in Andhra Pradesh, Naidu told The Pioneer in an exclusive interview, even as he dismissed any serious threat from the YSR Congress, which has roped in political strategist Prashant Kishor. “Hired consultants can’t win people,” he said.
Speaking about his dream project, Naidu said, “It (Amaravati) is my breath. I am focussing on it 24x7 and I am away from active politics for now. By 2018, we propose to spend Rs 25,000 crore on trunk infrastructure and other facilities with funds from the World Bank, HUDCO and JICA. Today nine countries and many international agencies are involved in the development of Amaravati. I am confident that by 2019, we will complete the first phase of Amaravati.”
Hitting out at the Congress, Naidu, known for converting Hyderabad into a technology hub, said, “Three years ago, everyone was afraid of moving from Hyderabad to Amaravati. Many had apprehensions and deep concern about their future. The State was divided by Congress without a capital, undemocratically and mercilessly. But I made the
crisis an opportunity. I am constructing a world-class city, not just a capital.”
Naidu asserted that the YSR Congress leadership is in deep distress and it doesn’t have any base in Andhra. “The hurdles created by it will not stop me from focussing on welfare, development and construction of Amaravati,” he said.
“Their focus is on criticism. People have lost faith in the YSR Congress leadership. Hired consultants can’t win over the people of Andhra, who are very wise. They care for their children’s future, the development of the State, their own development.
They need economic opportunities in the new State for their livelihood. I am giving and bringing what they require. I am delivering what they expect.
“Right now I am not active in serious politics. There is a lot of time left to look at politics. Now, I mean only development of the State, particularly, construction of a world-class Amaravati,” he said.
Talking about the progress with regard to the capital, the foundation stone for which was laid by the PM, Naidu said the State Government has so far allotted 1,000 acres to private and public entities. “Anand Mahindra is developing an Industrial City with a big investment. World-class medical institutions and seven, five and three star hotels are also coming up very soon. And the Seed Capital connection roads will be completed by 2018,” he pointed out.
“Amaravati is a blend of nine cities based on different themes and concepts. Designs have been given by international agencies from Singapore, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, UK, Netherlands, US, Denmark etc. Hence, I suggest that investors come before 2019. The Government is ready to give any support. We are giving all permissions within 12 hours. They can check from SRM, VIT and Amrita Universities which have started their academic activities from their own campuses in Amaravati in just six months,” he said.
In times of massive land acquisition problems, Andhra set an example with the land pooling concept. “We approached farmers of 29 villages located in the core capital area. We explained our vision for the land and the benefits they will accrue in future in a very transparent manner. Ninety per cent farmers gave their life i.e. their land, reposing full confidence in me. In just 60 days, we pooled 38,000 acres of land from the farmers. That’s worth Rs 40,000 crore. As per promise, we are already giving them back almost 60,000 developed plots in residential and commercial places in the core capital with a ten-fold hike in value. It means they are worth Rs 4,00,000 crore now,” he explained.
“We will develop roads, drainage, drinking water and electricity free of cost. For their livelihood, we are providing Rs 30,000 per annum per acre to the land owners and also to the farm labourers and poor people. We are providing free education and health care for ten years. We are giving to the youth and women skill development training that will be useful in service and manufacturing sectors. They are the real heroes. That’s why we named Amaravati as the People’s Capital. People are the owners of the capital as they are holding 90 per cent of the developed property. The Government is holding only 10 per cent of the land. “
On solving grievances of farmers, Naidu said he was drawing up a plan to blend drought in one area with floods in one area. “Besides ensuring the right prices for their produce, we are also using technology like Plantix App to find plants diseases in advance with mobile cameras. We will give them online suggestions from agricultural scientists. We are giving Fiber Network to every farmer across the State to help them in all farm activities,” he said.
Naidu, who is passionate about Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Cloud Technologies, said he was using advanced technologies for the benefit of the poor, rural people and farmers to bring responsibility, transparency, answerability and delivery in time in the Government system.
“Earlier ghosts used to take pensions. That has ended,” he said citing one of the benefits of technology.