Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday asserted that natives of Thullur and other villages in the capital region would be the first beneficiaries of development that was bound to take place in the near future.
“Large number of people will migrate to the region, but the government will pass on the benefits to the locals first. For that purpose, data is being gathered on the basis of Aadhaar,” he told a small gathering at the State guesthouse here on Saturday.
Mr. Naidu also cautioned farmers against the machinations of “Opposition parties, which were trying to politicise the issue”. He said the region spanning Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri was the best choice for capital though government land was available at other places.
The Chief Minister said the capital could have been built between Kalyani dam and Tirupati in his native district (Chittoor), but he did not crave for personal benefits. “I understand the pain some farmers might be undergoing while parting with their land, but I say they will repent later if they fail to make the sacrifice at this historic moment,” Mr. Naidu said.
He went on to say that bifurcation was a blessing in disguise, and that the construction of the capital was a life-time opportunity, which the people of the region should not fail to utilise. “The new capital will go down in history as one of the world’s best,” he affirmed.
The team from Singapore, he said, was chosen for preparing the master plan for the capital owing to their experience in making the most of the available resources. “The city state has an excellent track record of creating top-class infrastructure, and Andhra Pradesh required such facilities to attract investments and make the capital a model for others. Rather than appointing a consultant, it was considered prudent to rope in the Singapore team, considering India’s cordial relations with that country, for building the capital,” Mr. Naidu added.
Earlier, some farmers from Thullur demanded that they be given a better package for parting with their land. The Chief Minister promised to look into their concerns. Curiously, some farmers felicitated the Chief Minister for choosing their place for building the capital and announcing a “handsome package” for them.
