Our Ithihasas and Puranas are replete with stories of extreme tapas (austerities) by devotees, at the end of which Bhagwan appears and grants a wish. Similarly, the extreme hardship that the people of Andhra have endured—both in being party to an unwanted separation and the post-separation situation of failed promises and leadership—can perhaps be equated to such a tapas. The recent results have granted us a situation where we have some say at the Center. Bhagwan did listen to the collective pain of the Andhras and presented us with an opportunity where this time, at least, the Center has to give us a patient hearing.
What should be the one thing CBN should ask Modi?
The current financial mess we find ourselves in, due to the handouts of the last government, is our own making, and therefore its cleanup has to be done by us, not the Center. What the Center can and should do is fulfill the promises made at the time of separation, if not in the same form, at least in substance.
We also need to be pragmatic and realistic about what we can aspire to be and what we can never be. Can we build another Hyderabad? No, not in the next few lifetimes. We therefore have to temper the talk about making Amaravati the next Singapore. It’s time for a reality check. Also we can’t be hypocritical by sitting in Hyderabad and hoping someone else will build it for us ! Special status is also not going to happen; it was one of those promises politicians make with no intention of ever fulfilling it. Let’s accept it and move on.
What I am proposing is for the Center to do two things:
Make Amaravati another GIFT City:
Give us the same incentives that have been given to Gandhinagar (a non-Himalayan state) and help us build the second GIFT City. I am attaching a presentation for all of you to understand the kind of incentives and outcomes one can expect, especially with the vibrant Telugu diaspora we have.
Make Amaravati a National Capital Region:
Establish some Central Government institutions here to give us momentum. Just this February, a parliamentary committee recommended that the Supreme Court establish regional benches. Establishing a few benches to operate from here would create significant momentum for us, resulting in collateral economic outcomes. Similarly a few more offices/institutions can be established here. The signalling effect that it is also a National Capital Region would itself spur economic growth that is non budgetary.
Other infrastructure needs are straightforward and not my primary ask.
We do not need any major roads beyond what is already planned. Two more ports can be built in Machilipatnam and Chirala. The dredging and breakwater costs can be taken up by the Center, and then private bids can be called for. This is to make India a manufacturing hub and take advantage of the global shift away from China, not as a favor to us. We are the only state on the east coast that can become the next manufacturing hub given our ports and land availability.
So, Modi garu, just give us the gift of a GIFT City and direct some institutions to set up shop here. Period. With this momentum, the famed Andhrarpreneruship will rise like the proverbial phoenix.
PS: Dear Andhrapreneur,
The last 10 years have been a mess, depleting our enthusiasm to give back to our beloved homeland. This result should ignite our enthusiasm once again. Let’s dedicate some portion of our wealth to give back to the place we came from. It can be used for anything you are passionate about—schools, hospitals, NGOs, etc. Let’s rededicate ourselves to Andhra. The elections were not just a reminder to the Center but also to us, happily ensconced in Hyderabad.
The message is clear: Never forget your roots.