Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is showering extraordinary love on Kurnool. First he chose to celebrate the Independence day last year. Then he visited in February this year to announce unbelievable developmental package for the district. Later in August this year, he visited again to lay foundation stone for a mega food park near Tangdancha, being promoted by Jain Irrigation, and a cement plan of Ambuja group .
Today Naidu, on a two-district visit in the region, laid foundation stone for Urdu University near Kurnool, later left for Muddanur, Kadapa distrit. Addressing a meeting at Orvakal, where the Urdu University is being planned, Naidu said he would not do injustice to the region come what may. ” I also come from the region. I have a plan to transform the region into a vibrant economic zone,” he said.
He said about 125 acres had been earmarked for the Urdu University and announced that the government would pay, from this month onwards, honorarium to the Imams at the rate of Rs 5000 per month. Revealing his plans to development of the district, the chief minister said soon the government would allocate land for the construction of shadi khana.
Naidu’s grandiose plan for Kurnool district
He said the government was planning to develop an education hub in the district in an extent of 900 acres. In his February visit he announced many industrial units and projects which include 1,000 mw solar project, 3,000 acres for DRDL unit, 1,000 acres for Nuclear Fuel Complex and 16,000 acres for industrial units . He also promised Greenfield Airport at Orvakal on 3,000 acres and also assured that Kurnool would be developed as a satellite city using its proximity to Hyderabad. According to Naidu a Railway Midlife Coach Factory and IIIT are also on the anvil. He also assured to establish Tungabhadra Institute of Medical Sciences. A four-lane highway would be laid between the new capital and Kurnool city and Rs 80 crore would be sanctioned for creating a tourism circuit connecting all temples and tourist spots in Kurnool. It looks as though Kurnool occupies the second place in Naidu’s scheme of things after Amaravathi with its industrial corridors and other townships.
Many see this as the Naidu’s way of countering the growing resentment in the region for denying the capital status to Kurnool? At a time Rayalaseema region is seething with anger for ignoring the demands of the region and all organizations chalking out an action plan for a movement, chief minister Naidu chose to visit Orvakal, promising almost undeclared second capital status.
About 25 Rayalaseema organization are meeting on October 21, in Tirupati to chalk out their program under the guidance of retired high court judges Lakshman Reddy and Gopal Rao. Barring TDP leaders, leaders from the other parties have been disappointed by Naidu’s decision to locate capital at Amaravati, while they all expected Kurnool to become the capital as per an agreement between the Andhra and Rayalaseema leaders.
So, to appease the people of the district and the region, the chief minister has promised everything, from green field airport (international?) to Medical institute on the lines of AIIMS. He said some forces were trying to foment trouble in Rayalaseema and stalling the development, but he would not be distracted by their criticism.
Would these package neutralize the feeling of alienation among the people of Rayalaseema, especially the ones of Kurnool generated following the shifting of capital location to Andhra region without involving the leaders of the region?
