The Joint Implementation Steering Committee (JISC) of the Andhra Pradesh and Singapore governments led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry S. Eswaran took stock of the status of the capital city project at its second meeting at the Secretariat here on Friday in the presence of Singapore Government Special Envoy to A.P., Gopinath Pillai and other dignitaries.
They discussed the modalities of the proposed establishment of a Capital Region Investment Promotion Agency and Amaravati Design and Research Institute and various joint initiatives.
Singapore expertise sought
According to an official release, Mr. Naidu furnished details of the master-planning of the start-up area by the two governments and its progress.
He told Mr. Eswaran that the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) wished to build Amaravati as a city that made optimum use of the natural resources and also have technologies that make it a smart city and sought the expertise from Singapore in this regard.
Specifically, the advice of Centre for Livable Cities (CLC) would be taken for creating the best public transport infrastructure.
He urged Mr. Eswaran to get direct flights introduced between Singapore and Vijayawada thrice a week to augment the people-to-people linkages.
CLC Executive Director Khoo Teng Chye suggested the formation of Amaravati Integrated Water Authority that would take care of the water requirement of the entire capital region.
International Enterprise-Singapore (IE) Assistant Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) Tan Soon Kim said IE was already working with the AP-State Skills Development Corporation for capacity-building in Amaravati.
Amaravati Partnership Office Senior Director Francis Chang and Amaravati project ACEO Benjamin Yap made the initial remarks.
Cooling facility
Singapore District Cooling Project Managing Director Jimmy Khoo explained the technicalities of a similar a facility which Mr. Naidu wanted to be set up in Amaravati for bringing down the temperatures.
Mr. Pillai said he proposed the incorporation of construction of Amaravati as a chapter in a book titled ‘The States of India’ being published by Singapore University.
Ministers Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, P. Narayana and Nara Lokesh, and Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar were among those present.
Earlier, Mr. Eswaran and his team were shown the legislature building and the Secretariat.
