Penukonda, Puttaparthi in race for new district headquarters

Anantapur: The process of bifurcation of Anantapur district into two districts is now activated with the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy setting the tone for the formation of 13 more districts. Penukonda and Puttaparthi leaders are contending for making their respective towns as the headquarters of the new district, which is under the active consideration of the State Chief Secretary.

Penukonda MLA and Roads and Buildings Minister M Sankara Narayana is silently working behind the scenes to neutralise the importance of Hindupur Assembly constituency and project Penukonda as the

right choice for making it as the second district headquarters, in the context of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy constituting a committee to look into the bifurcation of districts, headed by the state chief secretary. Under the new government policy, every Parliamentary constituency will be bifurcated into a district. The district has two Parliamentary constituencies, one Hindupur and the other Anantapur.

Sankara Narayana told The Hans India that he had put forth his argument in favour of Penukonda as the capital of the new district to the committee headed by the chief secretary. It is up to the government to decide, he added. The YSRCP leaders strategy is to neutralise the

importance of town and prop up the Penukonda town as a prospective modern industrial town.

Even Puttaparthy MLA Sridhar wanted Puttaparthi town to emerge as the headquarters of the new district in the making. Sridhar told The Hans India that he had put forth his viewpoint before the committee impressing upon them the need to zero in on Puttaparthi as it is a global spiritual centre.

The minister it appears has already convinced the Chief Minister and that the state chief secretary might zeroedin on Penukonda as the headquarters to be carved district.

Sankara Narayana is pulling all strings to achieve his three objectives, medical college, district headquarters and Parliamentary constituency should be under the domain of Penukonda. Historically Penukonda was the second capital of Sri Krishna Devaraya.

Now, with Penukonda emerging as an important industrial hub, all eyes are on Penukonda as it is going to be a planned and decent town of tomorrow. It is also being considered as a smart city by the Central government. South Korea's Kia Motors has set the tone for industrialisation of the region with its

presence and subsequently hundreds of ancillary industries making a beeline.