The State government’s novel idea to make various people partners in constructing the new capital appears to be paying rich dividends.
Following the success of My Brick – My Amaravati crowd funding initiative through which people can buy an e-brick and donate Rs.10 online towards the capital construction, many individuals and organisations are contributing towards the cause of Amaravati.On Tuesday, a realty firm Janachaitanya Housing Limited representatives met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at his camp office here and expressed their desire to construct 25,000 square feet building in the new capital for free.
Accompanied by TDP senior leader Nannapaneni Rajakumari, Janachaitanya Group representative, Madala Chaitanya put forth the proposal of constructing the building before Mr. Naidu.
The group wanted the government to identify the land for constructing the building and said the works would be taken up at the earliest. Mr. Chaitanya appealed to the Chief Minister that the building be named after his mother Madala Shakuntala.
Mr. Naidu appreciated the group’s initiative in constructing the building for free and expressed satisfaction that many individuals and organisations were landing their hand for construction of new capital. The building would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 5 crore and the Chief Minister directed the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to assist the group in completing the formalities, said Ms. Rajakumari.Later, she presented a gems bonsai tree to the Chief Minister. “I had cultivated the gems bonsai tree for nearly 10 years. Besides adding beauty to the interiors of a house, the tree brings in positive energy and good fortune,” said Ms. Rajakumari.
A head constable, Sambasiva Rao, working at the Pedakakani Police Station in Guntur district, donated a month’s salary, amounting to Rs. 44,000, towards the construction of Amaravati. When the initiative was launched on October 15 by the Chief Minister, CRDA employees contributed one day’s salary, amounting to Rs 5.22 lakh, to buy 52200 e-bricks.
Meanwhile, the ‘My Brick – My Amaravati’ initiative kept the cash registers ringing, as 53,000 donors donated over Rs. 3.49 crore till Tuesday evening. The government is also presenting an online certificate of commendation to each donor as a token of appreciation. However, the CRDA authorities are still working on inviting donations from Telugus residing abroad and extending income tax benefits.
“The government is likely to issue an order in a couple of days enabling the Central government to permit the donations and provide the donors income tax benefits,” said a senior official.
A head constable, Sambasiva Rao donates a month’s salary, towards the construction of Amaravati.
