Amaravati, Oct 13 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, emphasized on Monday that the construction of the state capital, Amaravati, is being undertaken on a self-financing basis. During the inauguration of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Regional Development Authority (APCRDA) office, an important milestone in the capital's development, Naidu remarked that critics of Amaravati's development should consider that the project is being executed on a self-financing model.

The advanced seven-storey building, covering a total built-up area of 28,562 square metres, is located in the emerging administrative core of Amaravati.

Stressing that Amaravati must serve as the central hub for administration, the Chief Minister pointed out that adequate infrastructure is essential to prevent it from becoming merely a municipality.

Naidu expressed his gratitude towards the farmers of Amaravati who willingly provided their lands for this ambitious project.

"We introduced a novel land pooling system for capital construction. The farmers of Amaravati made this system successful. There was no such land pooling system anywhere in the world, but we implemented it successfully," he stated.

The Chief Minister was pleased that the CRDA office is the first building to be inaugurated since the recommencement of Amaravati's construction.

He accused the previous government of mistreating farmers for their lands under the land pooling system.

Naidu also noted that women farmers of Amaravati protested when the previous government attempted to relocate the state capital.

"Never forget the struggles you’ve endured. You deserve to benefit from the sacrifices you’ve made. I am fully committed to ensuring that," he declared.

He assured farmers that their issues would be addressed and that the government would ensure they do not encounter any difficulties.

Naidu directed Union Minister of State Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, State Minister P. Narayana, and MLA Shravan Kumar to take responsibility for resolving the farmers' issues. He instructed them to engage with the farmers and tackle their concerns.

Furthermore, Naidu promised to meet the farmers who have surrendered their lands shortly.

The Chief Minister inspected each floor of the CRDA building and reviewed the development works, ensuring they adhere to the scheduled timelines.

He inquired about the necessary infrastructure for construction, where work has commenced.

Naidu clarified that there are no financial constraints hindering the construction efforts.

In his criticism of the YSR Congress Party, he pointed out that they mockingly referred to Amaravati as a desert and the capital of prostitutes.

He recounted that his experience in developing HITEC City in Hyderabad fueled the development of Amaravati. When HITEC City was initiated, land prices were around Rs 1 lakh per acre, but now they have soared to Rs 177 crore.

The government is transforming Amaravati into a Quantum Valley. While it was previously focused on Information Technology, it now aims to embrace sectors like quantum computing, data centers, and Artificial Intelligence.

"The foundation of Amaravati is extremely robust. We brought soil and water from revered temples, mosques, and churches across the country to lay the foundation stone," he shared.

He recalled that after the bifurcation, Andhra Pradesh was formed without a designated capital.

He noted that the state was bifurcated without even determining the capital's location.

"We decided to establish the capital here, as its central location will benefit everyone. We are constructing the finest capital. We are developing a greenfield capital," he concluded.