AP Cabinet meet on capital today

Hyderabad: Notwithstanding the opposition by Sivaramakrishnan Committee to locate the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh somewhere between Vijayawada and Guntur, the AP government appears to be in no mood to change its decision. The report will come up for discussion at the cabinet meeting scheduled to be held on Monday. According to sources, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu who held discussions with experts and some ministers close to him has come to the conclusion that the report is not comprehensive. He is said to be of the firm view that the new capital should be located between Mangalagiri and Amravathi on the banks of the River Krishna and close to Amareswara (Lord Shiva) temple.

It may be mentioned here that the TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had also suggested to Naidu that the new capital should be located by the riverside as per vastu.

Sources said this aspect has also been taken into consideration. River Krishna flows on the eastern side of Amravathi.

Though Deputy Chief Minister K E Krishnamurthy on Saturday indicated that Naidu may not announce the location till the smart cities in each district are launched, sources say that Naidu is keen on putting an end to the issue, lest it could give rise to new problems and demands from other regions.

The government is also not impressed by the argument that Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal have not gone by the concept of geographical centrality. No minister is opposing the idea of locating the capital somewhere at centrally located place, a senior minister told The Hans India. MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao has alleged that the panel has recommended Donakonda area as the most suitable area since some of the members have purchased vast stretches of land in that area.