Affirming that decentralization is the only way for all round development, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he treats all regions equally and Vizag could be the natural choice as it is the biggest city in the State with readymade infrastructure and dubbed the Opposition hue and cry sloganeering as a sham and sheer opportunism.
Participating in the short discussion on decentralization and administrative reforms on the opening day of the Assembly session here on Thursday, the Chief Minister lambasted the Opposition and its friendly media for the sloganeering on the capital city that was not built and could not be built by Chandrababu Naidu and said with a little boost Visakhapatnam would be the natural capital with an investment of Rs 10,000 crores which is less than ten percent of the estimate of the previous government to build the perceived capital city.
For the 53,000 acres of land, Chandrababu Naidu has estimated an expenditure of RS 1.10 lakh crores for basic infrastructure and all that he could spend was just Rs 5,500 crores and that is the amount any government can spend and the previous government has kept Rs 2,297 cores as pending for us to clear, he said. Taking a dig at the ongoing agitation, he said it is not for the development of Scs, STs, BCs or Minorities but to safeguard the interests of wealthy class.
There is no much difference between the State budget of the previous and our governments and it is around Rs 2.50 crores. Then why didn’t the previous government take up programmes like Amma Vodi, YSR Asara, Cheyutha, Rythu Bharosa and give Rs 1.65 lakh crores DBT under various schemes and how it could be possible for us, it is a matter of commitment and priority. While welfare of weaker sections is our priority, the welfare of only a section of society was the priority of Chadnrababu Naidu.
The State in our view is the entire stretch of 1.62 lakh sq. km radius but not the 8 km radius of which there has been an agitation of late, the state consists of 3.96 crore acres and not just 50,000 acres and farmers of these lands along with all those who are benefitting through Rythu Bharosa are the farmers.
But he ‘Gang of Four’ has been spreading false notions and wanted to concentrate development in one region only besides writing and showing highly biased and opinionated stories.
I have been telling about the decentralization time and again. From setting up of village and ward secretariats to doubling the districts to 26 we have shown what decentralization could be and it has been doing wonders and during the calamities, the welfare delivery mechanism has been working well and effectively, he said.
Hitting hard at the ongoing Yatra by farmers, sponsored by Chandrababu Naidu and the Big Four, with funny slogans, he said that it is only to provoke people of other region to raze a blaze.
Personal interest is selfish, while thinking that all should be good is society, he said and concluded that decentralization policy being implemented and is the policy of Government. Stating that he is not against this region, he said that two more capitals will be added to the present Amaravati but he has never said that this should be taken away. People have acknowledged the view with a landslide in the polls held after 2019 general elections, he said.
Earlier, participating in a short discussion, Bhumana Karunakar Reddy traced the historic aspects of the State and how Rayalaseema got a raw deal and accounted in detailed about YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s vision of decentralization which does not just mean three capitals but setting up of village districts and increasing the number of districts which has taken administration closer to people. Kurnool and Vizag were cited as capitals on previous occasions with recorded documentation and the decentralization was taken up in a bid to evade concentration of development in a single area, which is the Hyderabad example.
Kodali Nani (Venkateswara Rao) said that the decentralization policy of the Chief Minister was acknowledged by all regions in the subsequent elections to local bodies, assembly and Lok Sabha after 2019 and the TDP has been raking up non issue in the name of Amaravati agitation.
Buggana Rajendernath Reddy said that, few people benefit entire state contribution is TDP mode of development unlike Jagan who wants the entire state to benefit and wants balanced regional development.
Kanna babu said only to benefit Chandrababu’s people as done in Hyderabad HiTech City. Replicate the plan. Decentralization of development ignored concentrating at Amaravati only.
Four Bills introduced
Four Bills were introduced in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on the opening day.
Panchayat Raj Minister B Mutyalanaidu introduced the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj (amendment) Bill 2022, while Minister for Road Development D Ramalingadeswara Rao tabled the Road Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2022 while Kakani Goverdhan Reddy on behalf of Chief Minister YS Chief Minister introduced the Andhra Pradesh Services Disciplinary Proceedings Tribunal Repeal Bill 2022 and Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy tabled AP Agriculture Produce and Livestock Markets (amendment) Bill 2022 Bill.
