VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that Amaravati was designed as a self-financing project, Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu has refuted the allegation that the TDP made the capital selection unilaterally. “Amaravati was visualised as a model city with lots of potential to create its own revenue generation for the entire State,” he said. Once developed, it would emerge as a vibrant city, where the government would have its wealth to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 3 lakh crore. The decision was taken based on many parameters. More than 50 per cent people told the Sivaramakrishnan Committee that they would favour the location of Capital in Amaravati region, between Vijayawada and Guntur.
Over 4,700 people expressed this opinion while only 507 people preferred Visakhapatnam, 360 persons Kurnool and 265 Ongole, he said. Addressing a virtual press conference on Friday, Naidu said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his ministers were making false claims only to destroy the dream capital of Andhra Pradesh out of political vendetta.
“Over Rs 41,675 crore worth projects were grounded for in Amaravati and 45 to 80 per cent works of different buildings have already completed,” he pointed out. He also appealed to the people to think whether Capital selection was a wrong decision. “About 2.3 crore out of the total 5.5 crore people are living on one side of Amaravati while another 2.15 crore are living on the other side. Similarly, 12 MPs are from one side of Amaravati and another 12 MPs from the opposite side,” he said.