Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday wanted the Centre to be liberal in granting funds for developing the new capital city for Andhra Pradesh (Seemandhra) which he said should be on a par with Hyderabad.
Addressing a press conference, Mr. Naidu said a huge amount of the order of Rs.4-5 lakh crore would be required for a new capital and unless the Centre came forward with assistance, it would become difficult to build it. This was among the demands he listed out.
Mr. Naidu refused to answer questions relating to the future of his party and protests in Seemandhra against Telangana, saying he would reserve his comments on politics to a later day.
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In fact, the Centre should constitute an expert committee not only to study the requirements of building a new city that equals Hyderabad in terms of infrastructure, but sharing of water, revenue, power and jobs.
All these aspects should be incorporated in the Bill that would come up before the Parliament, to address the concerns of the people. “It is Centre’s responsibility to sort out all problems to the satisfaction of all people in a time-bound manner”.
Appearing reconciled to the creation of Telangana after it was cleared by UPA and CWC, he said in his first reaction, his party was bound by the letter handed over to the Centre in 2008 in favour of separate State.
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Though the State stood divided, the party would work for the unity of Telugus in both the States. “We will show a statesman-like attitude but we would fight any injustice shown to any section of Telugu people.”
He said Hyderabad had a number of PSUs, research centres, international airport, convention centres and reputed educational institutes and the Centre should facilitate establishment of such infrastructure in the new capital and attract private investment.
Funds should not be a problem for the Centre as its budget now was Rs.15 lakh crore and it could go up to Rs. 25 lakh crore in the next ten years, he added.