Consulting co submits report on AP's capital development to CM

: Boston Consulting Group (BCG), an international consultancy firm, engaged by the Andhra Pradesh government to study various aspects of state capital development and related issues, submitted its report to the Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy here on Friday.

The state government engaged BCG to study various aspects related to the development of the state capital, the costs involved and other factors, however, the entire contents of the report were not known.

In its interim report submitted a few days ago, the BCG reportedly suggested a 'brownfield capital' would be best suited rather than a 'greenfield capital' that involves huge costs.

The BCG reportedly referred to the capitals of various countries like Brazil, Sri Lanka and how they were developed.

For a state like ours, the BCG felt a brownfield capital will do, where the cost of development will be minimal, a top official said.

The BCG aroused curiosity after the Chief Minister announced that his government would take a final call on the state capital based on its recommendations as well as those presented by a committee of experts.

The Chief Minister has already made his mind known that port city Visakhapatnam would be made the executive capital while Amaravati, which the previous TDP government announced as the capital of the bifurcated state, would remain the legislative capital.

Jagan said Kurnool in Rayalaseema could become the judiciary capital.

The experts committee submitted its report last month virtually reflecting the Chief Ministers views, suggesting distribution of capital functions among various regions of the state.

The state government has now constituted a 16-member high-powered committee to study the two reports and suggest a way forward for decentralised development of Andhra Pradesh.

The high-powered committee that has 10 ministers as members would hold its first meeting in the Secretariat on January 6.

The committee is expected to submit its report within the stipulated three weeks, following which the state Cabinet would discuss it.

After that, all the reports will be discussed in the Legislature before the government announces its final decision on the state capital, official sources said.