C Pradeep Kumar
Vijayawada
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s decision to postpone the relocation of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) from the originally scheduled date of Dasara to December has elicited mixed response from the people of Andhra Pradesh, particularly those in the port city. While some citizens maintain their confidence in the Chief Minister’s commitment to his recent statement, others raise questions about the government’s actions and intentions.
A section of the population strongly believes that the Chief Minister will uphold his promise to move the CMO to Vizag, as he reiterated during the inauguration of Infosys. However, the opposition remains skeptical, citing past promises and recent contradictions.
Despite previous delays, there is optimism that this time the CMO will indeed relocate to Vizag, with hopes that administrative operations will commence in the port city before the New Year.
On Monday, the CM also underscored the promising future of Vizag as a world-class city, which he envisions becoming a dream city for everyone in the future. With the arrival of Infosys, the city is expected to attract more IT and infrastructure companies.
CM Jagan stated that he would make Visakhapatnam his permanent residence and that work would be conducted from the port city starting in December. Until recently, there were discussions about Jagan moving the CMO to Visakhapatnam during Dasara on October 23 and performing puja at his proposed camp office in Rushikonda.
On the other hand, YSRCP leader and party in-charge of North Andhra, YV Subba Reddy, has mentioned that it might take a few more months due to technical reasons. It appears that more time is needed for the completion of the entire infrastructure. Furthermore, suitable accommodations for shifting other government offices and buildings for bureaucrats in Visakhapatnam have proven challenging for the state government.
Chief Secretary Dr. KS Jawahar Reddy has appointed a three-member committee, consisting of Special Chief Secretary (MA&UD) Y Sri Lakshmi, Special Chief Secretary (Finance) SS Rawat, and Secretary (Services HRM) of the General Administration Department, to assess accommodation options. The committee members will identify suitable transit accommodations, including a camp office for Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and accommodations for senior government officials in Visakhapatnam. The committee members visited the port city on Monday.
According to Industry Minister Gudivada Amarnath, the decision to reschedule the relocation of the CMO to Vizag from Dasara to December was primarily due to pending construction work at the proposed CM camp office. These pending tasks are expected to be completed within the next 20-25 days. While the interior work of the buildings is finished, tasks like tile installation and electrical fittings are still in progress. This situation is considered a safety concern, as it is not advisable for the chief minister to occupy the building while workers are still on-site, explained Minister Amaranth.
