Chandrababu Naidu moots state’s own resources to build Amaravati, Polavaram

Vijayawada: The state government prefers to implement self-fund generation plan instead of depending upon the Centre for completion of two important projects - Amaravati capital construction and Polavaram project - due to ongoing tussle with the Centre.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is taking steps to complete the ongoing two projects by generating funds from the State government’s own resources to highlight self-respect of AP and teach a lesson to Centre.

Already the State government allocated Rs 9,000 crore for Polavaram project in the recent budget. Now the State government has taken initiative to construct commercial complexes and housing projects in Amaravati and to sell them.

Similarly, the State government has decided to monetise (sell) lands for fund generation. Previously various nationalised banks came forward to finance for Amaravati capital by taking lands under mortgage.

Now there are some doubts on the fate of two important projects due to the ongoing tussle on fund allocation and implementation of AP Reorganisation Act with the Centre. The Centre released Rs 4,329 crore so far in the total expenditure of Rs 7,070 crore spent by the State government. The State government had also spent Rs 5,135 crore on Polavaram project before it was declared as national project.

In the recent budget, the State government had allocated more funds compared to last four-year for early completion of the project. Moreover, the State government wants to release more funds against the budget allocation, said Minister for Water Resources Devineni Umamaheswara Rao. He said that the government was ready to release more funds on priority though there was no allocation in the budget.

On the other hand, the State government is making plans for funds generation with the support of international funding agencies. The State government contains nearly 6,000 acres in the total of 33,000 acres after allotment to landowners and infrastructure including roads and greenery.

Earlier, several nationalised banks expressed their willingness to provide more than Rs 10,000 crore for capital construction purpose by taking lands under mortgage. But now the State government wants to generate nearly Rs 50,000 crore by encouraging commercial activity like allowing commercial complexes and housing projects.

The State government is also working out on funds generation through public bonds. A former bureaucrat on condition of anonymity said that the proposal may not work-out as it may face some issues with the Centre.

Former mayor and Telugu Desam official spokesperson Panchumarthi Anuradha said that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu focused on State's own generating of funds. She said that the CM is working out a plan following the suggestions from farmers of Amaravati capital and public towards self-fund generation to teach a fitting lesson to the Centre and to highlight self-respect of people of Andhra Pradesh.

By Patibandla Srinivas