Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s statement in the Assembly on Tuesday that Vizag could be the executive capital of the State, has triggered a debate on social media platforms and among citizens.
‘Visakhapatnam’ featured prominently on Twitter with many supporting the Chief Minister’s view. WhatsApp was flooded with messages on how the decision could result in the development of the north Andhra region, especially backward areas such as Srikakulam and Vizianagaram.
TDP MLA from Visakhapatnam (North) Ganta Srinivasa Rao was among the first who took to Twitter to hail the move.
Lakshmi R opined: “I am delighted to hear about the new idea from YS Jagan in AP Assembly. He said it might be possible to decentralise capital cities to improve the economic condition of AP. Vizag is fit to be executive capital, so as Amaravati for Legislation & Kurnool for Judicial proceedings.’’
Another Vizagite, Vamsi, said that the concept of three capitals may help backward areas of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, if the implementation is done in a proper and transparent manner.
A few users also slammed TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan for criticising the CM’s statement. They alleged that the TDP and JSP are against the development of North Andhra.
However, a number of netizens questioned how the State could have executive and legislative capitals at two different places.
TDP leader N. Lokesh recalled that it was Mr. Jagan who had extended support to the construction of Capital city in Amaravati.
Srikakulam MP K. Ram Mohan Naidu (TDP) said: “Different capitals & different centres of executive power puts further burden on people who would have to travel across the State to get their issues resolved. When the Commissioner is 400 km from the Secretariat, decision-making processes become costlier and time-consuming.”
MP’s poser
Former Chief Secretary, IYR Krishna Rao in a a tweet said: “Is functionally divided capital a better alternative? May not be. Small administrative capital, with focus on Vizag as financial centre like Mumbai, greater decentralisation, regional development covering all regions may be a better idea,”
In another tweet, he said “I can understand Vizagites happiness since administrative capital is the functional capital. But when assembly is in session may be hundred days in a year, executives will have to move. Maharashtra has this system. Assembly meets in Nagpur. There will be logistical avoidable difficulties.”
TDP MP Kesineni Nani in his Twitter account said: “If Andhra Pradesh which has five crore population needs three capital cities, how many does State like Uttar Pradesh having 20 crore population should have? 12?”
