AP capital Amaravati to be "government unto its own": report

Andhra Pradeshs capital city Amaravati will be a "government unto its own", with the electors having the unique power to "recall" elected representatives and even government staff.
This, and several other unique aspects of the capital region, has been revealed in an "expert pre-read (document) on governance matters" prepared by the AP Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA).
The document was circulated at the two-day Deep Dive Workshop on Amaravati development, organized by the CRDA here.
"The elected representatives and staff of the metropolitan government shall be answerable to electors for performance and delivery, failing which there will be a provision of recall," the document reads.

"Ward sabhas held every six months with the electors under the Constitution will decide on the continuity of the elected representatives and the key staff," the document adds.
The report further adds that there won't be an elected body to govern the capital to begin with as the AP government proposes to constitute the Amaravati City Council as a nominated body in the period "when the city gets populated".

An elected council will come into place once the Amaravati city area acquires a "critical population mass", it says.
"There will be a gradual transition to the Unified Metropolitan Local Government which will cover the whole capital region. It will have certain powers of taxation and a higer share of taxes collected by the state and Centre," the documents states.

The report mentions that the urban areas of Amaravati city, Vijayawada city, Guntur will be integrated into this single metropolitan government comprising nine administrative zones.
The capital region, spread over 8,603 sq km including the 217 sq km capital city area, is expected to have a population of 1. 35 crore population (70 per cent of which will be urban) by the year 2050 and the AP government envisions it to be a "Happy City".
The state government departments will not deliver any local services to citizens in the capital region, as per the plan, and, instead, "Ring-Fenced Entities" (companies, trusts, societies etc.) will take up these tasks, it says.

At least 12 RFEs, which primarily will be set up with private investment, are proposed under the plan for efficient service delivery related to transport, water and sewerage, industrial infrastructure, power, etc, it says.
The Centre, state or the metropolitan government will fund the RFEs that are "financially unviable", the CRDA document says.
State government departments like revenue, police, registration, commercial taxes and excise, as also the Central entities like railways, tax departments, banking, audit and external affairs, will continue to operate within the capital city for certain specific purposes.
An exclusive police commissionerate reporting to the state government will be set up for the capital region. A district having the same boundaries (co-terminous) with the capital region will also be formed housing all state government departments, the documents adds.