Farmers hold rally in Amaravati after Cabinet clears proposal for three capitals

The farmers on Monday held a protest rally here after Andhra Pradesh government gave nod to the recommendations of the High Power Committee on setting up three capitals in the state.

A huge number of farmers and women from Thulluru, Mandadam, Malkapuram, Ainavolu, Sakhamuru villages marched towards the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

The police tried to stop the agitators when they tried to trespass the police barricade, however, the protestors surrounded the Assembly complex and some even tried to reach the main gate.

The police resorted to lathi-charge after the angry protestors reportedly pelted stones at the police personnel. Subsequently, few got injured in the fray.

The protest came after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government on Monday approved the High Power Committee report on three capital during a Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet, which was chaired by Chief Minister Reddy, approved the idea of three capitals -- Visakhapatnam as executive capital, Kurnool as judicial capital, and Amaravati as legislative capital.

Based on the recommendations of the report, other key issues like decentralization of development, concerns of farmers, employee issues, insider trading of Amaravati lands and Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) amendment were discussed during the meeting, said an official release.

In addition to the decentralization and CRDA Amendment Bills, the state government has also agreed for offering better packages to the farmers of the Amaravati region.

The meeting decided to increase the ex gratia being paid to the farmers of the capital region from Rs 2,500 per month to Rs 5,000 per month.