Amaravati farmers meet CM, appeal for abolishment of CRDA, develop villages

Farmers of Amaravati region on Tuesday met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy at his residence and appealed to him to abolish the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) and take measures to develop the road in their villages.

Interacting with the Chief Minister farmers said that their lands and villages would be developed if the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) is abolished.

According to the farmers, the value of the land had dropped after the capital city proposal was dropped. Not even a single road was developed in the past five years, farmers said and requested the chief minister to first remove CRDA and then extend the existing Karakatta road and develop the inner roads.

They also said that the previous TDP government had blocked the development of their villages for not giving lands. 'No officials had come to our villages. There was no change in our lives even after the announcement of the capital city during TDP rule,' the farmers said requesting the Chief Minister to develop their villages.

Speaking to farmers, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said, "We are not doing any injustice to anyone. Our intention is to develop all districts and Amaravati will be continued as Legislative Capital."

"In the last five years, Chandrababu Naidu has spent only Rs 5,674 crore in which Rs 2,297 crore are yet to be repaid as loans. This is just a drop in a mighty ocean. Incase if we invest at least 10 per cent of this expenditure on Visakhapatnam, the city will yield a lot of opportunities for future generations, who needn't go to other states in search of jobs." said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister further assured the farmers that Tadepalli and Mangalagiri will be made as Model Municipalities with Rs 1,100 crores. "No farmer will face any injustice from the government. We are going to consider the requests you put in in front of us. After establishing roads, the area will be automatically developed and the farmers themselves can sell their lands for good prices. In the next two to three months development works in the Amaravati region will also take place and before that the farmers can come up with their issues and requirements in their villages. The government will certainly consider them."

Later, MLA Ramakrishna Reddy informed that the Chief Minister responded positively to the appeal of the farmers, and ordered the officials to withdraw the land acquisition orders within 10 days.

The farmers said that Chief Minister assured that he will resolve all their problems.

( With inputs from ANI )