If the reports coming from the power corridors of Tadepalli are to be believed, the Jagan government is most likely to take a call on Wednesday on the date of shifting of administrative capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam.
According to these reports, the state cabinet which is going to meet in Amaravati on Wednesday is likely to discuss the road map for shifting the administrative capital to Visakhapatnam and the judicial capital to Kurnool.
“The July 15 cabinet meeting is very crucial as it is expected to take several major decisions including the one regarding the three capitals in three different regions,” a source in the state secretariat said.
Apparently, the Jagan government is of the view that the legal hurdles for the three capitals bill would be cleared by Tuesday, since the state legislative council has not taken any decision on the decentralisation bill that was sent to the upper house for the second time last month.
“Since it was not discussed there within the stipulated time of one month which lapses on July 14, it is deemed to have passed in the council. The cabinet meeting is fixed for the next day which indicates that the capital issue will be decided for good on July 15,” sources said.
It is learnt that the chief minister has asked chief secretary Neelam Sawhney to direct all the departments to come up with strategies on how to go about with shifting their offices to Viskahapatnam, including the facilities to be provided to the employees etc.
“Since the academic year is in a state of uncertainty, there might not be resistance from the employees for shifting of the administration to Vizag. By the time the Covid-19 crisis subsides, everything will be settled,” the source said.
In all probability, the first step towards the capital shift would be made in the month of October and the administration would start functioning from Dasara festival, sources said.
Apart from reviewing the progress of the state, the meeting would also discuss among other things the present COVID-19 situation and the distribution of 30 lakh house-sites to the poor.
