Prime Minister should announce grant instead of loan for construction of capital in Amaravati, says CPI(M)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Committee has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announce funds for the construction of Amaravati as the State capital as a grant. This demand was made in an open letter issued on the occasion of Mr. Modi's upcoming visit on May 2 to relaunch capital works. The letter was released by the CPI(M) State secretariat members Y. Venkateswara Rao and Ch. Babu Rao during a press conference here on Sunday.
Mr. Venkateswara Rao criticised the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for failing to fulfil its promises regarding Amaravati's capital construction during the past decade. He highlighted that despite the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 clearly outlining the Union government's responsibility to fund the capital, only ₹1,500 crore had been allocated. According to Section 94(3) of the Act, the Centre is responsible for providing funds for the construction of the Raj Bhavan, Secretariat, Assembly and other basic infrastructure, he said.
Expressing scepticism about the forthcoming visit of Mr. Modi, fearing that it would be another symbolic gesture rather than a concrete financial commitment, he said, 'There are suspicions among people that Mr. Modi might once again merely bring water and soil and neglect the issue.'
Mr. Venkateswara Rao said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had originally announced a ₹1 lakh crore plan for the capital's construction, but with limited Central contributions, the burden was likely to fall on the State's citizens. The State government is planning to raise ₹31,000 crore in loans from institutions like the World Bank and HUDCO, he said, emphasising the failure of the Union government to meet the needs of the capital, despite the State's repeated requests for ₹60,000 crore.
Deputy Speaker's remarks
Mr. Babu Rao condemned Deputy Speaker K. Raghurama Krishna Raju for making alleged inappropriate remarks against CPI(M). He also criticised the Deputy Speaker's role in the demolition of 900 houses in the Undi constituency, which led to the displacement of poor families. He called for an end to these demolitions and demanded justice for the affected families. He also urged the TDP to ensure responsible behaviour from its leaders, especially those in official positions like Mr. Raghurama Krishna Raju.
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