The Andhra Pradesh government will approach the Union government afresh with revised requirements for the state's capital city in the light of the move to have three capitals for the state. The state is seeking an amendment to the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, to provide funds to meet the entire expenditure for the development of new capital of Andhra Pradesh.
The state government will take up the issue at the Southern Zonal Council meeting slated to be held in temple-town Tirupati on November 14. "The government of Andhra Pradesh has requested that in view of the enquiries which are currently being conducted into the irregularities which have taken place in the development of the capital city, the requirements of capital city will be assessed in a scientific manner and Government of India will be approached for revised requirements for capital city," the SZC meeting agenda note said.
The state government had in February this year intimated the Union government that there would be three seats of governance with Amaravati Metropolitan Regional Authority Area serving as the Legislative Capital, Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Regional Authority Area serving as the Executive Capital and Kurnool Metropolitan Regional Authority Area the Judicial Capital.
"In the light of the state's ambition of achieving holistic development, the Government of India is requested to financially support the state by liberally allocating grants for development of the three seats of governance," the state said in a latest plea to the Union government on October 20. The Ministry of Home Affairs replied to the state on November 8 that an amount of Rs 2,500 crore has already been released as support for creation of new capital. The MHA also noted that the matter is presently sub-judice in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.