A day after the World Bank (WB) stated the reasons for dropping its plans to finance the Amaravati Sustainable Infrastructure and Institutional Development Project, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu has squarely blamed the YSR Congress Party for the outcome.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Mr. Naidu asserted that the YSRCP was solely responsible for dropping of the project by the WB. Its leaders created hurdles at every stage. They instigated the farmers not to give their land, challenged the project in the National Green Tribunal and filed petitions in the High Court. Mails were sent to the WB, he pointed out.
The State government did nothing to see that the WB did not drop the proposal. With their stupidity, they killed the golden goose, he added.
‘No mention of graft’
The WB did not make any mention of corruption. While the bank spoke about rehabilitation, the government was portraying it as corruption.
The TDP government awarded contracts to reputed firms such as NCC and L&T. It seems the government wanted to award works to contractors like Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Vemireddi Prabhakar Reddy, Adala Prabhakar Reddy and Mallikarjuna Reddy, he ridiculed.
“While the TDP strove hard to draw the attention of the entire world, the YSRCP created hurdles in the Amaravati project. They tarnished the Capital image with false propaganda. There was a flight of investments due to their propaganda,” he alleged.
Capital city Amaravati was the dream of five crore Andhra people. It was expected that Amaravati would be a dynamic city that would support the entire State, generates employment and wealth.
The State government shattered the dreams of people, he said.
‘Realty takes a hit’
Due to their inefficiency, there was a steep fall in land rates. The rate was ₹42,000 to ₹62,000 per square yard in the Thullur, Nelapadu and Rayapudi areas.
Now, it is in the region of ₹ 20,000 per square yard.
Real estate prices were on the rise in Hyderabad, but in Amaravati they had fallen.
The TDP government wanted to develop Amaravati with the same inspiration and commitment that was shown in developing Hyderabad.
It was solely due to the vision, action plan and its implementation by the TDP government that the Singapore government came forward to be partners in the development of the new Capital. It was hoped that the WB would extend ₹5,000-crore loan, he added.