CM Naidu plans to develop 10 smart cities in Andhra Pradesh

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Monday that the land for the new capital in the Vijayawada-Guntur area would be acquired from private parties in the ratio of compensation for 60 per cent of the land and suitable land at an alternative place in lieu of the remaining 40 per cent.

Speaking to the media for the first time after he was sworn in as chief minister, Naidu said such an arrangement would be a win-win situation for both the government and the land owners as the latter can get a high price for the land given to them in view of the increase in prices near the emerging capital.

However, if the land acquisition becomes difficult even after such persuasion, the government may explore other areas to set up the capital, he said. Naidu also said the capital should be huge like Hyderabad, where administrative offices along with Assembly and secretariat can exist.



He added that he has plans to develop many mega cities in AP as part of the decentralized development. "We must develop at least 10 smart cities in the state," he said, adding that he wanted the Centre to include these 10 smart cities among the 100 smart cities nationally.

Naidu’s capital plans worry farmers

GUNTUR: AP chief minister-designate N Chandrababu Naidu's reported remarks about acquiring land for construction of capital between Vijayawada and Guntur has sent shock waves among farmers and land owners in the region.

Although, details of the location of capital city are not yet known, leaders who have met Naidu, however, believe that he is firm on building a capital between Vijayawada and Guntur.

Sources said Naidu is sharing his ideas with leaders in bits and pieces in a deliberate move to test their reaction. Sources said Naidu told a CPI delegation, which met him on Monday to discuss crop loan waiver scheme, that shortage of government land between Guntur and Vijayawada may force him to go in for acquisition of land from private individuals. He, however, reportedly assured the delegation that the government would make farmers partners in development projects instead of paying a paltry sum as compensation.

"It could be a public-private partnership (PPP) model where the land owners get rights over 60 per cent of the developed land while the government agencies could take the remaining 40 per cent. It benefits the land owners to a great extent," said M Sudhakar, a retired senior bureaucrat and expert in land acquisition matters.

If the government needs about 2000 acres of land, it would acquire 5000 acres and develop it. Post development, the government will then take 2000 acres and return 3000 acres to farmers.

The farmers, however, oppose any such move on two grounds. First, government projects never get completed on time. Secondly, they may not get more than the price they now get in the open market.

While most of land on one side of national highway between Vijayawada and Guntur is green fields, realtors sold away land on the other side.

CPI senior leader Muppalla Nageswara Rao said people would voluntarily offer their land if the government gives them a 'meaningful' share. He said his party would support the land acquisition proposal and convince farmers if their just demands are met.

"Government should consider giving farmers a share taking the land prices after a decade into consideration," said Nageswara Rao, who was part of CPI delegation that met Naidu.