After years of waiting, Andhra Pradesh finally has a capital. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy finalized Visakhapatnam as its capital.
“I am here to invite you to Visakhapatnam which will be our capital in the days to come. I will also be shifting to Vizag. I invite you and your colleagues to see for yourself how easy it is to do business in Andhra Pradesh,” he said at an event in the national cpaital.
Jagan was addressing investors at the preparatory meeting of Global Investors Conference held at Leela Palace Hotel, New Delhi on Tuesday.
I invite you to our beautiful state for the Andhra Pradesh Global Investors Summit to be held on the 3rd & 4th of March in Visakhapatnam.
Experience the ease of doing business in our state and partake in our vibrant culture.
Welcome! #APGlS2023 #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/i2WmrvpgV8— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) January 31, 2023
“I am also shifting there soon. We are holding the Global Investor Summit in Visakhapatnam on March 3 and 4.” he said.
Confusion over the status of capital has prevailed in the state even after seven years of bifurcation, which led to the creation of a separate state of Telangana.
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha on February 13, 2014 by then Minister for Home Affairs, Sushil Kumar Shinde. As per the bill, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were to have a common capital, Hyderabad, for 10 years. After this period, Hyderabad would be entirely Telangana’s capital. The deadline ends in 2024.
When it came to power, Jagan administration decided not to go ahead with TDP’s plan of building a mega-capital in Amaravati, which is equidistant from both Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra. Instead, it proposed setting up three different power centres. The AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Repeal Bill, 2021 and AP Capital Region Development Authority Repeal Act, 2020 proposed the development of three capitals — Amaravati (legislative), Visakhapatnam (executive) and Kurnool (judicial). It was later repealed. The matter is in court now.