Amaravati row heats up ahead of Naidu's Nov 28 visit

With former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announcing a visit to Amaravati this week to highlight how the development of state capital came to a halt after the YSRCP came to power, a senior Minister here on Monday questioned him on the development undertaken during the last five years.

Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana said only five per cent of works were completed in Amaravati during Naidu's five-year rule.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president has announced that he will visit Amaravati, his brainchild, on November 28. This comes in the wake of Singapore Consortium pulling out of the project, and farmers who gave their lands for the capital moving the high court.

The leader of opposition alleged that the capital's development had been stalled by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government.

"The budget for development of capital has been estimated to be Rs 1.9 lakh crore but only Rs 4,900 crore has been spent," said Satyanarayana and alleged that Naidu turned the capital city into a graveyard.

"Farmers should question Chandrababu on development when he visits Amaravati," the Minister said. He also assured Amaravati farmers that all the government orders issued earlier would be implemented and continue to develop plots given to farmers.

After the YSRCP government took over in May, all works in Amaravati were kept on hold, pending probe into alleged irregularities by the previous government in awarding contracts and in allotting prime lands to those close to then Chief Minister.

Amid uncertainty over the future of Amarabati, Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government last month formed an experts' panel and also sought suggestions from people.

Satyanarayana had earlier said after the receipt of the panel's report the government would decide whether to go ahead with Amaravati as the state capital or look for another location. IANS