Naidu firm on shifting of HoDs

• HODs and some NGOs are planning to submit a memorandum to Naidu on Saturday against immediate shifting
• Govt proposes to construct 10,000 houses, meanwhile Ministers and officials will be accommodated in govt guest houses
  

Hyderabad: Brushing aside the objections raised by some Head of Departments, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu decided to shift all the government offices related to the construction of new capital to Vijayawada by October 15. According to senior ministers like K Atchannaidu and P Pulla Rao, Naidu at a recent informal meeting with Ministers and HODs made it clear that for him the opinion of 5 crore people was more important than that of some employees who have certain reservations.

The Ministers told The Hans India that Naidu had been holding discussions over the shifting of offices with NGOs and other employees for quite some time. While there is not much of resistance from a section of employee’s organisations, while it is the HODs and some NGOs who have been raising objections like disruption in their children’s academics but Naidu refused to budge.

There are many reasons for the AP Chief Minister to take this stand. While he is keen that the construction activity of the new capital should be closely monitored and the works should progress in a time-bound manner, the other reason was to ensure that the TDPs image does not take a beating following the recent attack by the Opposition parties which are using the issue of the failure of the government to get special status category for Andhra Pradesh as weapon.

According to a senior Minister, Naidu feels that the party which had suffered a major setback in Telangana following the cash-for-vote case may suffer a serious dent in the popularity if the State was governed from Hyderabad. He told the Ministers that a recent informal survey on the people’s perception about the government’s performance has indicated that people were not happy with governance through distance mode.

Sensing the firmness of Naidu, the HODs expressed their displeasure before the senior Ministers heading their departments. They said that the government should resolve the issue of nativity of their children, as under Article 317 (D), their wards would become non-local in Andhra Pradesh.

When the Ministers drew Naidu’s attention to this issue, he is said to have reacted saying that all such issues can be addressed at a later stage. The foundation stone for the capital city is being laid on October 22 and hence before that all important departments that would be involved in the construction of capital city will have to start working from Vijayawada, Naidu told them.

When asked about the problems like housing for the employees, the Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said soon the government would take up construction of 10,000 houses. In the meantime, it would utilise all available government guest houses and will convert them as temporary accommodation for Ministers, whereas officials would hire some buildings. However, the HODs and some NGOs are planning to make a last ditch effort to seek exemption from immediate shifting.

By:V Ramu Sarma