Budget 2024: Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh Thanks Centre For Committing ₹15,000 Crore For New State Capital

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced ₹15,000 crore, with additional amounts for developments in Andhra Pradesh in future years. Reacting to this development, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh thanked Central Govt for for committing Rs 15,000 crore for new state capital.  Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the central government recognises Andhra Pradesh's need for capital and will arrange Rs 15000 crore for the building of the state capital Amravathi in the current Financial Year.

Taking to X (Formerly known as Twitter), Nara Lokesh wrote in regional language translated in English as, "Thanks to the central government which has announced that it will provide full support for the completion of the projects of Amaravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, and Polavaram, Jeevanadi. On behalf of the people of the state, we express our gratitude to the NDA government for committing to the reconstruction of Andhra Pradesh by allocating Rs.15 thousand crores in the budget. "

While presenting the budget, Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Our government has made concerted efforts to fulfil the commitments in Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. We are recognising the state's need for a capital. We will facilitate special financial support through multilateral development agencies. In the current financial year, Rs15,000 crore will be arranged with additional amounts in future years,"

The Finance Minister also announced additional allocation for capital investment on the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor and the Hyderabad Chennai Industrial Corridor.

Formation of Amravathi as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh

The announcement proved to be a boon for the state Govt which had previously in the pre-budget meeting had presented the demand for a grant of Rs.15,000 crore for the construction and development of Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh. From June 2. Hyderabad was officially declared to be the capital of Telangana only. It was declared that it would no longer be the common capital for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Further on June 11, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu, announced that Amtravathi would be the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. This announcement was made a before N Chandrababu Naidu took oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.