Amaravati all set for statutory capital status

Amaravati: The process to grant statutory recognition to Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh has entered a crucial phase, with coordinated steps being taken by the Centre and the state to complete the legal framework.

Acting on a directive from the Prime Minister’s Office, a special session of the state Legislative Assembly has been scheduled for the March 28 to pass a resolution reaffirming Amaravati as the capital and to forward it to the Centre. The resolution will include amendments to the 2014 CRDA framework, as advised by the Union government. The Centre has initiated these steps to ensure statutory validity and prevent future legal complications. In parallel, amendments to provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act have already received clearance from the Union Ministry of Law, strengthening the legal pathway.

Once the Assembly passes the resolution, it will be submitted to the Central government and is expected to be placed before the Central Cabinet. Following the Cabinet approval, the proposal will be introduced in Parliament. Indications suggest that a final decision is likely during the current session, after which a gazette notification will formally declare Amaravati as the capital.

Amaravati was identified as the capital after the state’s bifurcation, with farmers from 29 villages pooling around 34,000 acres of land. A master plan was prepared with international support, and key government infrastructure, including Assembly and Secretariat buildings, was established.

However, development came to a halt after the YSR Congress Party assumed power in 2019 and proposed a three-capitals model, leading to prolonged uncertainty and sustained protests by farmers in the Amaravati region.

With the NDA coalition government returning to power in 2024 under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, development activity has resumed, alongside efforts to secure a permanent legal status for Amaravati through parliamentary backing. The latest developments indicate that Amaravati is now on track to receive full statutory recognition as the capital of Andhra Pradesh.