Decentralised development in AP: Sivaramakrishnan Committee report almost ready

Sivaramakrishnan committee would submit its report to the Union government on locating a new capital for AP by middle of August. After three hour long meeting with AP Chief Minister, Sivaramakrishnan said, Naidu wanted the capital at a centrally located place in the State. The committee also suggested that the new capital should be at a place nearer to already developed cities but not within the cities like Vijayawada or Guntur.

Andhra Pradesh government is likely to follow the Malaysian concept of decentralised administrative mechanisms instead of constructing a big capital city where all government offices would be located. As of now 192 AP government offices are located in Hyderabad. Finding vast stretches of land to locate these offices and organisations at one place is difficult. Hence, the panel has advised AP government to scatter them across the State for decentralised development.

The committee feels that at least 120 acres land is needed to locate main administrative blocks such as Assembly building, quarters for MLAs and CMO at one place.