Amaravati, Oct 13 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday reiterated that the government is constructing the state capital, Amaravati, on a self-financing basis.

In his remarks at the inauguration of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Regional Development Authority (APCRDA) office, which marked a significant milestone in the capital development, Naidu said those criticising the development of Amaravati should note that the project has been taken up on a self-financing basis.

The state-of-the-art seven-storey structure, spread across a total built-up area of 28,562 square metres, has been built in the upcoming administrative core of Amaravati.

Stating that Amaravati will be the focal point of administration, the Chief Minister adequate infrastructure is required to ensure that it does not remain a mere municipality.

Naidu said he would never forget the sacrifices made by farmers of Amaravati who came forward to give their lands for the project.

"We brought a new system of land pooling for the construction of the capital. The farmers of Amaravati made the system a success. There was no land pooling system anywhere in the world. We introduced this system and we made it a success," he said.

The Chief Minister expressed delight that the CRDA office is the first building to be inaugurated after Amaravati works restarted.

He alleged that the previous government tortured the farmers for giving their lands under the land pooling system.

He also mentioned that women farmers of Amaravati took to the streets and fought when the previous government decided to shift the state capital.

"Do not forget the hardships you have faced. You should reap the fruits of the sacrifices you have made. I am fully committed to it," he said.

He assured farmers that their problems would be solved and that the government would ensure that they would not face any problems.

He asked Union Minister of State Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, State Minister P. Narayana, and MLA Shravan Kumar to take the responsibility of solving the problems of the capital farmers. He directed them to talk to farmers and address their problems.

Naidu also gave the assurance that he would soon meet the farmers who have given up their lands.

The Chief Minister, who inspected each floor of the CRDA building, also reviewed the capital development works and directed that the works should be completed as per their schedule.

He enquired about the creation of the infrastructure necessary for construction, where the work has started.

The Chief Minister made it clear that there are no financial problems for construction works.

Targeting the YSR Congress Party, he said they ridiculed Amaravati by calling it a desert and the capital of prostitutes.

Naidu stated that he started Amaravati development with his experience of developing HITEC City in Hyderabad. He recalled that when the construction of HITEC City started, the cost of per-acre land was Rs 1 lakh, but it has now gone up to as high as Rs 177 crore.

He said the government was developing Amaravati as the Quantum Valley. Once it was Information Technology, but now sectors like quantum, data centres, and Artificial Intelligence are the order of the day.

"Amaravati's foundation is very strong. We brought soil and water from the holy temples, mosques, and churches of the country and laid the foundation stone," he said.

He recalled that after the bifurcation, Andhra Pradesh was formed without a capital.

He said the state was bifurcated without even identifying the location of the capital.

"We decided to build the capital here as its location in the middle of the state will be good for everyone. We are building the best capital. We are building a greenfield capital," he added.

/IANS