Centre approves Amaravati as sole capital of Andhra

THe unification place ministry has sanctioned the statute law seeking to hold Amaravati as the only capital city of Andhra Pradesh with effect from June 2, 2024, thereby providing a statutory status to the capital, Union minister of state for rural development and communications Pemmasani Chandrasekhar said on Sunday.Speaking to reporters, Chandrasekhar said Union home minister Amit Shah had conveyed to the state government that legal safeguards would be provided to the state capital with effect from June 2, 2024.“The matter has also been discussed with the Attorney General and the Centre is actively working on the legal framework required to provide long-term certainty to Amaravati’s status as the state capital,” he saidThe Union minister also said that Amaravati would soon be granted exclusive administrative identifiers, including a separate PIN code, STD code and ISD code, underlining the Centre’s commitment to strengthening the capital’s institutional identity.He added that discussions would be held with all Central institutions that were allotted to Amaravati under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act to expedite the establishment of their offices in the capital region.Pemmasani further said that the head office of the Postal Department, which falls under his purview, would commence operations in Amaravati within the next three months.He noted that issues faced by farmers who had contributed land for the capital were being addressed one by one, with efforts being made to restore confidence and satisfaction among them.Stressing the need to increase population density in the capital city, the Union minister said comprehensive measures would be taken to attract private investments. He said he would discuss with chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu the possibility of encouraging select IT companies to set up operations in Amaravati.Outlining the infrastructure roadmap, Pemmasani said the government had set a target of completing the ongoing construction of key government complexes—including the high court, secretariat buildings, and residential complexes for ministers, MLAs, MLCs, All India Services officers and staff—within a two-year timeframe.“Once these projects are completed, the city would offer a conducive environment for people to move in and establish residences,” he said.He added that parallel efforts would be made to strengthen rail and road connectivity to the capital, which is crucial for its long-term growth. Works related to Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) layouts were also progressing at a rapid pace, and once completed, permissions for private building construction would be issued.