Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has enormous admiration for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in general and Dubai in particular. Ever since he visited Dubai in the 1980s as a minister in the NTR cabinet, his liking for the city-state has been growing. During his several official visits as united AP chief minister and talks with Rulers of Emirates, he had nothing but praise for Dubai development and its spectacular success in scripting a growth story on sand.

Once again, he had been to Dubai and Abu Dhabi during his recent whirlwind tour of the US, the UK and the UAE to drum up financial support for his mega plans and to seek massive investments in the cash-strapped state.

If we go by what the Chief Minister had said in Vijayawada on Saturday after his return, the nine-day visit was a mega success. In his own words, “entrepreneurs in the US, UK and Dubai have committed to invest more than $10 billion in the state.” If all the promises made by investors at innumerable meetings and road shows and MoUs signed by big corporations translate into reality, well, Andhra Pradesh will become No 1 state in the country in all spheres of life.

Presenting his vision of AP to an investment road show organised by the Indian Business and Professional Group and the Abu Dhabi Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in the UAE capital, the Chief Minister had envisaged the state emerging as the best happiness destination in the world by 2050.

“By 2029, Andhra Pradesh will be No 1 not only in economic indicators but also in the happiness index. We will have a happiness department… If all of you bring one industry to Amaravati, then it will become a hub for UAE investment. I want to create a ‘UAE City’ in Amaravati. There will be a direct flight to Amaravati. You may come there in the morning, do your business and return by evening,” the UAE press quoted him as saying.

“I am thinking of creating a UAE task force, which can be in touch with people and investors here. I created one city and will make one more, which will be among the top five cities of the world. I have a proven track record in Hyderabad. I am a believer in development and everything is possible. Amaravati will have nine cities and 27 townships. It will be a hub and other places will be a spoke model.”

This is the first time, probably, Chandrababu Naidu, after coming to power in the bifurcated state, has laid out his grand vision of AP before Indian Diaspora. His critics may pooh-pooh his vision, terming it as too ambitious and impractical. But they have to admit that he is dare to dream and project his vision in a convincing manner which very few Indian leaders are capable of doing.

Reminding the Telugu NRIs in the UAE, a majority of them are working class, that they are not a forgotten lot, the Chief Minister promised insurance, a relief fund and a helpline.

The Chief Minister was obviously impressed –and influenced – by the UAE’s Happiness and Positivity Agenda, conceptualized by Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed, a state programme that works with private establishments for peace and harmony as well as happiness in society. His hub-and-spoke model of development is also an inspiration from Dubai’s plans. For over a decade, Dubai has been pioneering in setting up Internet City, Knowledge City, Fun City, Health City, etc to give an identity to various activities. The Amaravati capital city plan closely follows Dubai model.

His trip was also memorable for the honour — Golden Peacock Award under the category Global Leadership in Public Service and Economic Transformation — he received in London.