AP CM to shift to executive capital in September

- Total project cost of greenfield port is Rs 4,362 crore

- Foundation stone for Bhogapuram International Airport, Adani Data Park and Rs 6,200 crore six-lane road on May 3

- Laid foundation for Rs 360-crore fishing harbour at Budagatlapalem

- Rs 176.35 crore Vamsadhara Lift Irrigation Project

- Rs 300 crore Mahendratanaya offshore Reservoir Project work

- To lay foundation for Tribal University at Saluru in June

- Manchineellapeta fish landing centre upgrade at Rs 85 crore

Srikakulam: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said that he will shift his family to ‘executive capital’ Visakhapatnam in September.

Addressing a large gathering after laying foundation stone for Mulapeta Port (erstwhile name Bhavanapadu) near here, he said he will relocate his family to Andhra’s largest city in September.

Earlier at diplomats’ conference in New Delhi, Global Investors’ Summit in Visakhapatnam and State Legislature he had declared that executive capital will be made operational shortly. It was reported that in the last Cabinet meeting, he told his ministerial colleagues that Visakhapatnam will become the new capital in July. The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment on decentralisation.

The Mulapeta Port EPC contract has been awarded to Viswa Samudra Holdings-led joint venture. The first phase construction will be completed at a cost of Rs 2,950 crore with four berths. With RR colonies and required infrastructure, the total project cost will be Rs 4,362 crore.

The Chief Minister said the greenfield port will change the industrial and agricultural landscape of Srikakulam district. The port will provide job opportunities to 35,000. The Mulapeta Port, being built in an area of 1,250 acres with an annual capacity of 23.5 million tonnes will handle export and import of coal, multipurpose containers and general cargo. In the coming days, its handling capacity will reach 100 million tonnes, the Chief Minister hoped.

Reddy said the foundation stone for Bhogapuram International Airport, Adani Data Park and Rs 6,200 crore six-lane road from Visakhapatnam to Bhogapuram will be laid on May 3.

He said in the past four years, the YSRCP Government launched several projects to improve the economy and provide employment opportunity to the locals. He said new ports at Ramayapatnam, Bandar and Kakinada are being taken up by AP Maritime Board along with 10 fishing harbours and several fish landing centres.

He also laid foundation stones for the Rs 360-crore fishing harbour at Budagatlapalem at Etcherla mandal, Rs 176.35 crore Vamsadhara Lift Irrigation Project that will take water to Hiramandalam reservoir from Gotta Barrage and, the Rs 300 crore Mahendratanaya offshore Reservoir Project work.

Regretting that the North Andhra region remained backward for several decades despite the area being rich with the waters of the Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers, he said that the Mulapeta Port will encourage growth of ancillary industries in the surrounding areas.

He said Rs15-crore Manchineellapeta fish landing centre will be upgraded as fishing harbour soon with an allocation of Rs 85 crore. He said he will complete the Mahendra Tanaya and Vamsadhara second phase stage-two works which were initiated by his father and former Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. The works of the Uddhanam Kidney Centre have reached final stage, he said, adding he will inaugurate it in June.

The Rs 700-crore safe drinking water project to bring purified water to Uddanam area from Hiramandalam Reservoir will be ready in the next few months and permanently end the recurrence of kidney ailments, he said.

Vamsadhara Lift Irrigation Project will help stabilise the ayacut with the supply of 19 TMC of water helping the farmers opt for second crop similar to coastal districts, he said.

The linking of Vamsadhara –Nagavaali Rivers will be completed in August while the foundation stone for the Rs 265 crore water works extension project in Pathapatnam constituency will be laid in June, he said.

He said he would lay foundation stones for the Bhogarpuram airport and Adani Data Centre on May 3 and for the Tribal University at Saluru in June and added that all these developmental works would totally change the facade of the Srikakulam district and North Andhra.

The establishment of four new medical colleges besides a tribal engineering college in the region would also serve the growing medical needs of the locals and elevate the lives of the tribal youth, he said.

Assembly Speaker T Sitharam, Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao, Animal Husbandry Minister S Appala Raju, IT Minister G Amarnath, Water Resources Minister A Rambabu and MLC D Srinivas and top officials participated.