Vijayawada it is; Naidu addresses his first I-Day function in Kurnool

• Says AP will have Silicon Corridor-type facility. IT sector will have potential to create 5 lakh jobs
• Kurnool city to become first Smart City in AP
• 24/7 power supply across State from October 2
• All steps to make agriculture profitable in State
• Effective implementation of the BC sub-plan
• ArogyaSri to be NTR Arogyaseva with coverage of 100 new diseases

Kurnool: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu feels that the best place for locating the capital city is Vijayawada-Guntur stretch. Naidu indicated this during an informal chat with journalists after his maiden Independence speech at Kurnool. He explained that a capital could not be built in a backward area as centrality of the place, connectivity and social infrastructure were more important. He cited the example of Hyderabad being accessible to all regions in the erstwhile State and pointed out that Warangal or any other city could not be developed like Hyderabad. He however would stay put in Hyderabad as long as it remains the joint capital.

Earlier in the day, he pitched for Silicon Corridor on the lines of ‘Silicon Valley’ in the US, equal development of all regions and for making agriculture profitable. He was delivering his maiden independence speech at the APSP Grounds in Kurnool – the capital of erstwhile Andhra between 1953 and 1956 – after unfurling the national flag.

The Chief Minister said, “Andhra Pradesh will be developed like a Silicon Corridor with respect to IT industry. Every district of the state will have a city like Hyderabad or Cyberabad in the next five years. As many as five lakh jobs will be created in the IT industry."

Narrating the issues that need to be tackled for the development, he said the sole aim of his government would be to turn agriculture into a profitable venture. Naidu said that arrangements were being made to supply 24/7 power supply to all the sectors from October 2 and the entire State will be connected with gas pipeline to supply natural gas.

Naidu showered various sops for the development of Kurnool district including an Industrial City spread over 30,000 acres besides an airport and a premier engineering educational institution like International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT). He also promised that Kurnool city will be the first city in the state to be developed as a smart city. He said, here after Independence Day would be celebrated in every district.

Recalling the performance of his government during the past 60 days, Naidu said that his government would keep up all the promises it had made during his padayatra and elections.

He said the government had already issued guidelines for implementing the loan waiver scheme. He said notwithstanding the hurdles the government would waive the farm loans. He said it had lifted 106 cases against 4,482 people who participated in the Samaikyandhra movement. Naidu also announced that a textiles industry and apparel park would be set up at Adoni and Yemmiganur, In Orvakal town, government would set up an industrial city in 30,000 acre area.

Among other sops announced are developing Nandyal as seed capital upgrading agriculture college as deemed university, improving road connectivity from Kurnool to Chennai and Hyderabad.

He also assured that Kurnool hospital would be upgraded to the level of NIMs hospital. Apart from creating tourism circle, a cricket stadium, making it as a major centre for solar power generation was also on the cards, Naidu said He said he had signed on five files on the day of his swearing in which includes loan waiver scheme for farmers and DWCRA women. The government had constituted seven missions to focus on development of the state.

The government, he said would focus on making agriculture profitable. Children between the age of 6-14 years will be enrolled in schools through the Badi Pilustondi (School is calling you) programme.

On the health front, Naidu said the government would modify the present Arogyasri and convert it into NTR Arogyaseva scheme and another 100 new diseases would be added. He also promised to effectively implement the BC sub-plan.

Naidu recalling the greatness of Kurnool town said that the first chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu hoisted the national flag here for the first Independence Day and said that he was fortunate to do the same after a gap of 56 years.’’ He also recalled the contribution of great leaders of Kurnool revolutionary Uyyalavada Narasimha Reddy, the first freedom fighter of Andhra Pradesh Gadicherla Hari Sarvottham Rao, founder of Andhra Mahasabha, Potti Sriramulu and a host of personalities who fought for the independence of the nation and for the formation of Andhra Pradesh.