Even as Andhra Pradesh faces several challenges post-bifurcation, including a huge deficit budget, its Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu apparently wants to turn this adversity into an opportunity by developing Amravati as a world-class capital from scratch on the banks of the river Krishna. Sudheer Goutham of Elets News Network (ENN) writes on how technology is paving the path for AP of tomorrow
Nara Chandrababu Naidu, a widely-acclaimed leader for rigorously adapting and promoting technology for socio-economic development, looks at the new in-the-making capital of Andhra Pradesh – Amaravati as a greenfield project to develop it into a world-class capital.
Even as the State faces several challenges post-bifurcation, including a huge deficit budget, its Chief Minister Naidu apparently wants to turn this adversity into an opportunity by developing a world-class capital from scratch on the banks of the river Krishna, between Guntur and Vijayawada. The attempt is to replicate the brand new capital Amaravati as Singapore of the 21st century, a commercial island city.
With an area of 225 square kilometre being dedicated to the proposed capital city, Naidu said, “Amaravati will not just be an administrative capital but an economic driver, a people’s capital, and an affordable city”.
The master plan for Amaravati prepared by Singapore agencies as per Naidu’s idea of eco-friendly and smart capital, it will yet be a commercial hub for industries in the area of agri-business and logistics, IT-enabled Services (ITeS) and pharmaceuticals, and what not.
After laying the foundation stone for brand new capital city in October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Amaravati is going to be the focal point of the development and progress of Andhra Pradesh.”
CM Naidu said, “It (Amaravati) will provide an easy access to amenities, such as schools, healthcare services, shopping malls and markets, to make it a people’s capital.”
Amaravati is proposed to have a lush green cover and plenty of water bodies. The plan has laid out the infrastructure for delivering reliable supplies of electricity and water while managing solid waste and sewerage. Amaravati will be an ultramodern, smart and liveable city.
Andhra Pradesh has been an early adapter of technology and is inclined to implement more technology-led initiatives in the days ahead, much faster than several other states in the country. Through various technology initiatives like e-Pragati, Aerial Fiber Grid and others, the State is working towards taking government to the doorsteps of citizens
As for electronic governance, the Chandrababu-led Government has already rolled out breakthrough IT projects that will see the capital and the entire State into a comprehensive IT-enabled State.
Andhra Pradesh has been an early adapter of technology and is inclined to implement more technology-led initiatives in the days ahead, much faster than several other states in the country, which are still in the planning stage.
Through various technology initiatives like e-Pragati, aerial Fiber Grid and others, Andhra Pradesh is working towards taking government to the doorsteps of citizens with a campaign-‘Maa Prabhutvam Mee inti Mungata’ meaning ‘Our Government at Your Doorstep’. The comprehensive architect enterprise project e-Pragati that was launched recently will pave way for complete digitisation of governance. This has drawn top global companies to the State started for building mammoth projects there.
Hewlett Packard has partnered with the government to develop e-health centres and mobile health centres across the State to bring specialist doctors from urban area to patients in the rural areas. In this process, Cloud Technology and Internet will be used to connect patients and doctors.
Another IT major, Cisco, has partnered with the Andhra Pradesh Government to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) over a stretch of five kilometers to nurture and boost local talent, which will also connect students in the government schools.