Explained | The Three Capitals Edition of Andhra Pradesh

The current YSRCP government’s decentralization plan, which overrides the big capital idea of ​​the previous TDP regime and which is being challenged before the Supreme Court, has come to the fore again, with hints of a likely relocation of some of Amaravati’s offices.

Following renewed rumors of the move of executive capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam and top executives of the YSR congressional party government pointing to a likely relocation of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in the near future, here is a statement on the three capitals issue of Andhra Pradesh .

What is the decentralization law?

The AP law on decentralization and integrative development of all regions by 2020 is to have three government seats, namely the capitals of the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

The AP Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) became the Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Authority following the passage of the APCRDA Repeal Act 2020.

Why three capitals?

The government of the YSR Congress Party wanted to decentralize the administration by having three capitals with the firm belief that they would give a boost to the development of the northern coastal districts, the stretch of coast from West Godavari to Nellore and the rear Rayalaseema.

The current government also took the view that the previous government’s grandiose capital plan was not affordable in the current economic scenario.

When was the decision made?

Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan approved the relevant bills in July 2020.

The draft bills were first passed in the Assembly in January 2020, but were then referred by the Legislative Council to a special committee that was not formed due to the deep disagreement between ruling and opposition parties. They were passed for the second time in the Legislative Assembly in June 2020.

Where are the proposed seats?

The existing state legislative complex will remain in Velagapudi in the Guntur district and the region will be referred to as the legislative capital. The office of the Chief Minister (CMO) and the offices of all HoDs will be relocated from Amaravati to Executive Capital (Visakhapatnam).

The headquarters of the AP High Court in Nelapadu in the Guntur district are to be relocated to Kurnool, the court capital.

Dispute and litigation

The laws were challenged by peasants in the High Court and some hearings were held under the aegis of then Chief Justice JK Maheswari.

The situation had returned to first place after Chief Justice JK Maheswari was transferred and replaced by Arup Kumar Goswami as the cases had to be heard again from the ground up.

The farmers are vehemently opposed to the proposed three capitals, as they have made their multi-crop land available as part of the “pooling program” for the construction of the capital on the green field.

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