Andhra Pradesh’s three capital plan

Context –Impact of Andhra Pradesh decentralization and inclusive development of all regions bill, 2020.

What is Andhra Pradesh Decentralization and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020?

It is an act of Andhra Pradesh Legislature containing provisions relating to the decentralization of governance in the state of Andhra Pradesh so that establishments for additional two capitals can be made at any place outside Amaravati.

This law paves the way for three capitals for the state.

1. Amaravati– legislative capital.
2. Visakhapatnam– executive capital.
3. Kurnool– judicial capital.

The proposed three-capital plan claims to achieve the following-

• Equal development of different regions– The state government claims that it would allow an even development of the state. It would ensure justice to everyone and every region.
• Decentralization- It also claims it’s a good idea to decentralize power across the state as there have been several imbalances among the regions which had often led to agitations. Three capitals will lead to equitable development.
• Growth perspective– Furthermore, it would be a boost to urbanization and then economic development. In India, cities contribute anywhere between 59% and 70% of the GDP.

Why implementing this idea will be difficult?

1. Coordination and logistics fear: Coordinating between seats of legislature and executive in separate cities will be easier said than done, and with the government offering no specifics of a plan, officers and common people alike fear a logistics nightmare.
2. Hamper administrative efficiency – Executive capital Visakhapatnam is 700 km from judicial capital Kurnool, and 400 km from legislative capital Amaravati. The Amaravati-Kurnool distance is 370 km. The time and costs of travel will be significant.

• Infrastructure requirements: It will need constructing new buildings in the new capitals.

3. Environmental impact- Unrestrained real estate interests can co-opt local State institutions and sabotage environmental interests.
4. Impact on farmers– the Andhra government had acquired around 30 thousand acres of land approximately from the farmers in and around the Amaravati region. So the decision of changing the capital may affect most of the farmers living out there.

Way forward-

• The success of distributed development depends on a well-developed infrastructural network linking the growth centres.
• The ongoing processes of preparing the Master Plan and Strategic Plan for the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region are an opportunity to address environmental challenges.
• The bill is thin in details but offers hope in its broad contours of pursuing inclusive development through Zonal Planning and Development Boards.

7 PM Editorial |New Economic Realities and Need of Decentralization|6th August 2020