Months after announcing that he will rename Krishna district as Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) district, Andhra opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that he will create a separate district of Anakapalle, which is currently a part of Greater Visakhapatnam. Jagan made this announcement on Wednesday in Anakapalle, at a public meeting during his Praja Sankalpa Yatra.
Jagan claimed that there has been no development in the area, and instead, they’ve had to pay enormous property taxes because they’ve been merged with Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation.
“Has there been any development in Anakapalle after it merged with Greater Visakhapatnam? There hasn’t. But we’re being charged heavy house taxes and current (electricity) charges in the Chandrababu regime,” Jagan said.
He then assured the gathering a separate district of Anakapalle if YSRCP comes into power in 2019. Amidst cheers, he said, “If tomorrow, with the blessings of god and you all, I win the election, I will instantly make Anakapalle a separate district. And I assure you that Anakapalle will be the headquarters of that new district.”
Jagan further said that the Anakapalle Government Hospital will be upgraded in line with the King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam. “I assure you that, if tomorrow someone comes to Anakapalle Government Hospital for treatment, they will not be referred to KGH in Visakhapatnam,” he said.
Earlier this month, the AP Council of Ministers approved the expansion of the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA), and renamed it Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA). The state government said that the VMRDA will now oversee 6,764.59 square km whereas 5,573 square km that was being overseen by VUDA.
Reports suggest that this will include the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and Srikakulam Municipal Corporation, besides the municipalities of Vizianagaram, Amadalavalasa, Yalamanchili and Tuni.
In May this year, Jagan in a similar announcement said that he will rename the NTR district to Krishna district. Several analysts felt this was a move to capture votes of a specific community, and the announcement had drawn flak from arch rivals, the ruling TDP.