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Hyderabad, October 16
The Chief Minister’s Office and other key departments of Andhra Pradesh Government will move to Visakhapatnam in a phased manner before December this year.
This was announced by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy while inaugurating the campus of Infosys in the port city on Monday. Reddy said he would be shifting to Visakhapatnam soon and the official machinery is looking for suitable accommodation. “I am hoping to shift in October but the outer line is December for me to stay here,” he said.
Visakhapatnam, a happening city with good facilities, has the potential of becoming a city like Hyderabad and Bengaluru soon, Reddy said, adding: “Unfortunately, we had lost Hyderabad due to bifurcation. Nevertheless, Vizag is the biggest city in the State and has the high potential to catapult into tier-one city which has a strong port-based infrastructure.’‘
The city is an education hub having eight universities including National Law University, four medical colleges, 14 engineering colleges and 12 degree colleges besides several Public Sector Undertakings and Eastern Naval Command. The Bhogapuram International Airport will also be ready in another two years, the Chief Minister said.
PANEL
The State government had already appointed a three member committee comprising special chief secretary (MA&UD) Sri Lakshmi, special chief secretary (finance) SS Rawat and secretary (services HRM), general administration department (GAD) to identify suitable transit accommodations including a camp office for the chief minister and accommodation for senior functionaries in Visakhapatnam.
The panel is on the job now and has identified some buildings and is in the process of inspecting them. The new buildings constructed on Rishikonda, a popular eco-friendly tourist destination in the city to promote tourism, are likely to house Chief Minister’s office. Few buildings of Andhra University may also be used to accommodate some departments, according to sources.
The announcement by Reddy assumes significance in the backdrop of the appointment of the committee to identify buildings. The shift of administration to Visakhapatnam is part of the State Government’s plan for decentralisation of administration. Instead of single capital at Amaravati, the ruling YSR Congress Party Government wanted to run administration from Vizag while legislative and judicial capital will be at Amaravati and Kurnool respectively. Petitions challenging shift of capital from Visakhapatnam are now pending in the Supreme Court.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the unit of Eugia Sterils at Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City at Parawada in Anakapalle district and the second unit of the Laurus Labs at the Special Economic Zone at Atchutapuram. He laid foundation stone for a new unit of the Laurus Labs .
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