'AP Capital Region Development Act against constitution'

The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act 2014, which paves the way for creation of a body for pooling land for development of the greenfield capital, has come under fire from a social organisation which has termed it as "against" Constitution.
Sharpening its attack over government's move to "acquire" 30,000 acres of land for setting up of capital, the National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM), a network of social activists, today alleged that Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government has a "hidden agenda" in pursuing the move.
"The AP government brought out AP Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act which is against the Constitution and is violative of the Land Acquisition Law of 2013," said M G Devasahayam, who led a fact-finding team of NAPM to some of 29 villages identified as part of the capital region.

The government had last week notified the areas covering broadly 7,068 sq km as AP Capital Region in Krishna and Guntur districts and 122 sq. Km as capital city with the AP Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014 coming into being.
"The CRDA was introduced in the Assembly overnight and passed. There was no public consultation...It is illegal," Devasahayam said while accusing the government of pushing the project without holding consultations or carrying out any feasible study.
The CRDA 2014, which came into effect last month, paves the way for creation of a new development authority which will act as the main interface for development of new capital.

Apart from covering revenue and development activities, the authority would have the power to acquire necessary land for the development of capital. It will also oversee the construction of new capital city, including the development of infrastructure in the region, based on a master plan and a special development plan.
Addressing reporters after a round-table meeting on the greenfield capital, Devasahayam said out of the total agricultural land set to be acquired by government, one-third is the most fertile land.