Vizianagaram: North Andhra, which is known for people migrating to other places seeking employment, would soon transform into a job hub, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy observed here on Wednesday.
Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for the Bhogapuram international greenfield airport at Savaravalli near here, he reiterated the commitment of the YSR Congress Party government for uniform development of all regions and said north Andha would progress as part of this. “We have laid the foundation for Moolapeta port only recently. Now Bhogapuram airport will be the focal point for north Andhra. We are also laying the foundation stone for Adani Data Centre today to change the face of Andhra Pradesh,” he stated.
Taking a dig at the opposition, the Chief Minister noted that some people were unable to stomach the laying of foundation stone for the airport now. They hastily broke coconuts four months before the elections and were claiming the credit for the airport. However, the fact was that they had gone to the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal to stall the project and the YSRCP government had overcome all the hurdles to perform bhoomi puja today, he pointed out, and gave the credit to the farmers who gave the land for airport which would soon be the centre for medical tourism, IT, and industries.
Disclosing that GMR who had taken up the construction of the greenfield airport, had assured him that the project would be completed in 24 to 30 months, Jagan said that with the blessings of God, he would be able to inaugurate the airport in 2026. The airport would be built to enable landing of A 380 double decker and in the first phase, and facilities would be provided for 60 lakh population which would finally cater the needs of four crore people, he stated.
Detailing on the development of north Andhra, the Chief Minister said that the three districts were converted into six to facilitate development, with one of them named after the revolutionary Alluri Sitarama Raju. Kidney research centres were coming up at Uddanam plagued by kidney ailments and they would be dedicated to the nation in June, he revealed. Ichchapuram and Palasa would soon get protected drinking water schemes and from September, the state government would function from Visakhapatnam, he said.