Report on AP capital by Aug 31

New Delhi: The five-member Sivaramakrishnan Committee, which held its meeting on Thursday to choose the new capital for Andhra Pradesh, is expected to finalise its recommendations by August 31. Significantly, Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan, who arrived in the capital, called on Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. As the AP Bhavan in the capital has also to be divided between the two States, he visited the Godavari Block of the Bhavan; his suite is located in the Sabari Block.

After the meeting, Sivaramakrishnan said the panel is expected to meet again on May 2 in the capital. After the elections are over, he said the panel would visit Andhra Pradesh for ground assessment. The report would be submitted by August 31. The panel would also examine the feedback on email, besides consulting various stakeholders, before finalising its recommendations. The panel chairman said that it was a technical committee. It is required to make a fairly technical assessment regarding the relocation of the capital for Andhra Pradesh. Its mandate is to look at the availability of land, connectivity, water, power and infrastructure. Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of Telangana, Hyderabad will be the common Capital for both the States for a period of 10 years, after which Hyderabad will go to Telangana. The new capital of Andhra Pradesh has to be relocated. In the choice of the new capital for Andhra Pradesh, the terms of reference of the panel require it to consider the least possible dislocation to the existing agriculture systems as well as ensure minimum resettlement of people and their habitations. The committee was set up in March.