Core capital phase-1 by June 2018

Appeals to people to contribute a day’s salary every month to build the new capital

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the Ugadi celebrations at Ananthavaram in Guntur district on Saturday.— Photo: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar

The first phase of the core capital region would be completed by June 2018, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said here on Saturday.

Signalling his intention of laying the building blocks of the new capital on the banks of River Krishna by June this year, Mr. Naidu appealed to people to donate a day’s salary every month to build the new capital.

“Every person should contribute a brick at least as we are laying the foundation stone before June this year,” Mr. Naidu said at the celebrations marking Manmadhanama Ugadi, the Telugu New Year celebrations in this village.

Mr. Naidu said the new river-front capital would be build with Central assistance on the lines of other metro cities in the south -- Bangalore, Hyderabad.

“I want to ensure a level playing field for the new State as it should compete with other metros in the country.

With the new region sandwiched between Machilipatnam and Nizampatnam ports, it will unleash an unprecedented economic growth,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that new roads would be laid to Gudivada, Nuzvid, Sattenapalli and Nandigama from the core capital region so that people could reach the new capital within 30-45 minutes. He thanked land owners who had become partners in Land Pooling Scheme and said that he would be indebted for their sacrifice. “You are a role model for generations and I will ensure that you will enjoy the first fruits of development. We have already started distributing annuity for land owners and we will give Rs. 2,500 as a monthly allowance to landless farm labourers,” Mr. Naidu said.

Invoking the blessings of Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity at the hill top temple in the village, Mr. Naidu said he Lord’s blessings were needed to combat all evil and overcome all obstacles in the rebuilding of the new State.

Takes dig at rivals

The Chief Minister took a dig at his rivals, the YSR Congress and the Congress, and said both the parties were bent on stalling development of the State. However, Mr. Naidu stopped short of rolling out new announcements as the code of conduct for the MLC election was in force.