Brushing aside the objection that it would be difficult to work from three Capitals, Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao has said that several States have their High Courts and Capital cities in different locations.
The demand to set up High Court in Kurnool was a long-pending one. The Capital first located in Kurnool was later shifted to Hyderabad. Should Rayalaseema and north Andhra remain backward even after another 50 years, Mr. Srinivasa Rao asked while addressing the media here on Friday.
The move to have three Capitals had at its core the interests of the State, he asserted.
“But former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu sees politics in everything,” the Minister said.
“Amaravati will not go into oblivion. It will continue to hog the limelight along with Kurnool and Visakhapatnam. Development of three Capitals will do away with economic inequalities,” he said.
Three Capitals and decentralisation of development could not be viewed separately, he asserted, and pointed out that the price of one acre of land in Amaravati shot up to ₹5 crore from ₹5 lakh after its announcement as the Capital.
Asked why contradictory views were being expressed by his Cabinet colleagues, the Minister said a policy decision would be taken by the Chief Minister based on the expert committee report, and hoped justice would be done to Visakhapatnam.
The Chief Minister’s aim was to develop all the three regions equitably, he said.
‘Advantage Vizag’
It would be a boon to Visakhapatnam if it was made the executive capital as the city would find a place on the international map, the Minister said.
“Visakhapatnam will not only be a happening city but also a financial, tourism and cultural capital as well,” he said.
Visakhapatnam MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana was present.
