Opposition finds fault with LPS-2 for Amaravati, coalition defends decision

While Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA coalition has strongly defended the decision to acquire 16,666 acres for Amaravati second phase Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) to make the capita city one of the best sustainable greenfield capitals in the world, the Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh are trying to rake up a controversy by saying that there are machinations to help realty mafia by creating hype so as to benefit them with jacked up prices.

A blueprint has already been drawn after Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off Amaravati 2.0 Restart Program o May 2 last amid fanfare to transform Amaravati as the best place to live with highest happiness index and latest technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Designs have been finalised for various skyscrapers by adopting green technologies to give it an iconic look with a riverside landscape at a cost of over $11 billion in the first phase so as to complete it in 2028, a year before the scheduled general elections. Naidu has been claiming from rooftop that Amaravati will become a 'people's capital, a futuristic capital' and a hub for technology, education and healthcare. Besides Amaravati Quantum Valley Park, the headquarters of Ratan Tata Innovation Hub are located at Amaravati.

To meet its future requirements such as Inner Righ Road, railway network, international airport and a sports city to host international events with convention centres, the second phase of land acquisition from the farmers belonging to seven villages

However, YSRCP alleged that Chief Minister Naidu is deceiving farmers in the name of world-class capital.

Former Minister and YSRCP Guntur District President Ambati Rambabu strongly criticized the Chief Ministeru, alleging that he is deceiving farmers in the name of building a world-class capital city. He said farmers had given 35 thousand acres 10 years ago, yet they still have not received the promised returnable plots. He questioned why the government is unable to show the location of the plots even after a decade and accused ministers of insulting farmers when they ask about their land rights.

Ambati said Naidu collected a total of 50 thousand acres earlier by pooling farmers land along with government and forest lands, and is now preparing to collect another 20,000 acres only to benefit contractors and earn commissions. He stated that Naidu is the real villain behind the problems surrounding Amaravati and alleged that the capital project is only being used for financial exploitation rather than development.

He said the Chief Minister had claimed the capital would be built through a self-financing model without loans, but now the government is borrowing thousands of crores from several financial institutions. He added that temporary buildings alone cost Rs.680 crore and criticised the government for spending Rs.11,000 per square foot, even higher than the cost of the permanent Parliament building. He accused the government of pushing farmers and real estate into crisis, paying advances of Rs.3,000 crore to contractors without real work, and increasing estimates only to help syndicates.

Ambati demanded immediate allocation and registration of returnable plots to the farmers. He said farmers are angry and losing hope and stated that Chandrababu is acting like a heartless Chief Minister. He also said the government is unable to even provide proper security to Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and accused the coalition of indulging in political drama instead of governance.

APCC president Y.S. Sharmila Reddy under the plea of building a greenfield capital city with global standards, the coalition government is trying to benefit the real estate people to gain mileage. She said as many as 29,000 farmers surrendered highly fertile lands for the capital in 2015 believing Naidu's promise that they will be rewarded suitably. "Even after 11 years, there is no sign of any development anywhere in the 217 square km area originally designated as the capital city," she pointed out and asked the government to shelve plans to acquire lands further for the farmers for Amaravati..