Visakhapatnam: Key projects get boost in budget

Visakhapatnam: With Visakhapatnam all set to become executive capital, the AP budget has allocated funds for a few key projects.

These projects would help suit the infrastructure required to develop Vizag into one of the capital cities.

Since Visakhapatnam is considered a tourism hub, a total of Rs 30 crore is expected to be allocated for the construction of hotels and resorts in Araku Valley and Paderu out of Rs 100 crore allocated for the state.

About Rs 107 crore has been allocated for Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project that aims to resolve drinking water woes. Of the Rs 107 crore, Rs 69 crore will be utilised for civil works. However, in the last budget, Rs 176 crore was allocated for the purpose but was not released. For land acquisition and compensation, Rs 51 crore has been allocated for the upcoming international Bhogapuram airport in AP budget. The airport is said to be built over 2,203 acres and the airport will be developed in 1,910 acre and the rest will dedicated for commercial purpose.

Rs.61.14 crore was allocated for Andhra University in Visakhapatnam and S.V. University in Tirupati under RUSA.

From the last year's budget allocation which was Rs 238.16 crore, the budget allocation for Andhra University this year is Rs 261.57 crore. For Food Crafts Institute the budget allocation has come down from Rs.83.53 lakh to Rs.45.31 lakh.

This apart, Rs 12.30 crore was allocated for construction works, including secondary command control tower (Zone II) and new buildings for Padmanabham and airport police stations, under Visakha Police Commissionerate jurisdiction.

For setting up of trauma care centres, Rs 9.14 crore has been allocated in the budget.

Similarly, Rs 56.62 crore has been allocated for the MSME parks and Ease of Doing Business. For industries that fall within the ambit of Visakhapatnam-Chittoor Industrial node, Rs 2.25 crore allotted for APTRANSCO.

For Greyhounds training centre, Rs 13.08 crore was allocated this budget. Along with these, several other projects such as beach road development and construction of new government buildings to get a boost in the AP budget.

With the AP Legislative Assembly passing the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 and AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2020 for the second time, efforts will be taken to speed up completion of key projects and make the ground ready for the capital shift.