Government Must Reveal Complete Financial Details of Amaravati
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) senior leader and former minister Perni Nani launched a sharp attack on the Andhra Pradesh government over the Amaravati capital project, alleging that the administration has failed to disclose crucial financial details. He questioned when Amaravati would be completed, the total project cost, and the amount of interest the state would have to pay on the loans raised for its construction.
Perni Nani alleged that instead of answering these legitimate questions, the government was resorting to personal criticism. He demanded that the government place the complete financial details of the project before the public, saying that taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent.
Criticism Over Amaravati’s Changing Vision
The former minister claimed that the government had once promoted Amaravati as a capital consisting of nine cities but was now limiting it to the scale of a municipality. He argued that buildings for which tenders were invited in 2015 and foundation stones were laid in 2016 are now expected to be inaugurated only in 2028, calling it a betrayal of public trust.
He also urged the government to publicly disclose who would occupy the buildings being constructed in Amaravati, including elected representatives, government officials, and employees.
Claims Alternative Capital Plan Would Have Been Cheaper
Perni Nani said that if the capital had been developed on government land or land already acquired, as proposed by former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, it could have been completed at a significantly lower cost.
He alleged that the present government is continuing the Amaravati project by borrowing thousands of crores of rupees and warned that the debt burden would ultimately fall on the people of Andhra Pradesh. According to him, the government’s claim that Amaravati is a self-financing project does not reflect the ground reality.
Seeks Clarity on Infrastructure and Future Maintenance
The YSRCP leader also questioned the government’s long-term planning for Amaravati’s infrastructure. He said the administration should clearly explain how it intends to manage drainage systems during the monsoon, maintain civic infrastructure, and meet future operational expenses.
He further demanded that the government explain how it plans to repay the large loans already taken for the project and insisted that complete transparency should be maintained in projects funded with public money.
Plans Visit to Amaravati Farmers
Perni Nani announced that he would soon visit Amaravati to interact with farmers in the capital region and understand their concerns. He asserted that neither he nor his party would be deterred even if attempts were made to obstruct the visit.
He also demanded that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana disclose complete details of the Amaravati project’s assets, expenditure, and borrowings.
Raises Other Governance Issues
Apart from Amaravati, Perni Nani also criticized the functioning of the state government led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and commented on the role of Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan.
He sought explanations from the government on several other issues, including diesel distribution for fishermen, the functioning of the police, DSC teacher recruitment, and alleged lock-up death incidents. He challenged the government to respond to every question raised by the opposition with documented facts and figures and said it should be prepared for a public debate if necessary.
