Amaravati: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday strongly defended his vision for the development of Amaravati, asserting that the capital city in the making would be the "strongest answer" to criticism from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and 'MAVIGUN' proposed by the Opposition party as an alternative model.
In a chat with media persons at the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) headquarters, Naidu dismissed the opposition's claims that Amaravati is not viable. He said development is a continuous process. It does not stop midway.
Drawing comparisons, the Chief Minister pointed to cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, which have expanded steadily over time. He noted that Hyderabad alone contributes nearly 70 per cent of Telangana's revenue and plays a key role in the State's high per capita income. "Amaravati will grow in the same way," he said.
Responding directly to YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's criticism, Naidu said the scale of development in Amaravati would counter the narrative being pushed by the opposition. He underlined the financial strength of the capital project.
According to the Chief Minister, Amaravati holds a land bank of around 20,000 acres. At current market rates, he estimated its value at about Rs 50,000 crore, adding that it could rise to nearly Rs 1 lakh crore as development progresses. "This is a self-financed project," he asserted, rejecting claims that it is economically unsustainable.
Naidu cited infrastructure growth in Hyderabad, such as the Outer Ring Road, airport expansion and IT sector development, as examples of how capital cities drive long-term revenue and economic activity. He said similar growth engines would emerge in Amaravati. He dismissed the Opposition's criticism as lacking understanding and said there was no need to dwell on such remarks. The Chief Minister used the occasion to address party leaders during internal training sessions. He called on TDP cadre to promote "clean politics" and increase positive voter support. Leaders were asked to clearly communicate government's welfare schemes and developmental initiatives to the public. Naidu stressed the need to strengthen the party at the grassroots level. Interacting with party workers, Naidu reviewed feedback on scheme implementation and urged leaders to stay informed and effectively counter opposition narratives.
The Chief Minister said programmes such as Ethical Economic Empowerment (E3) would be rolled out to support party workers financially. He highlighted the government's focus on "clean and green" initiatives, linking governance priorities with the party's political messaging.