Will lay foundation for ₹1 trn investments in Amaravati soon: Andhra CM

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the foundation for investments worth Rs 1 lakh crore in the greenfield capital city of Amaravati will be laid within the next 45 days.

Naidu stated that he would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to relaunch infrastructure and development programmes in Amaravati.

"Very soon, I will invite the prime minister to relaunch infrastructure and development programmes. In about one to one and a half months, we plan to lay the foundation for Rs 1 lakh crore worth of investments, which will be completed within three years," Naidu said while addressing a seminar on population at a local university.

According to the CM, road construction projects worth Rs 40,000 crore and pending building works are already underway. In the future, he aims for Amaravati to run entirely on green energy.

Promising "world-class development" in the upcoming capital, Naidu said he would invite top institutions, central government departments, and private organisations to establish their offices in Amaravati.

Delving into population issues, the chief minister observed that though he had once championed population control, he emphasised that demographic changes now require a different strategy.

With ageing populations posing challenges globally, he advocated a more balanced strategy, underlining that larger families contribute to economic growth and workforce sustainability. Having more children is the only way to ensure survival in the future, Naidu claimed.

According to him, the population in South India is "declining", while it is currently stable in North India. However, he noted that this advantage will last for only another 20 years.

Referring to countries such as Japan and Germany, which are struggling with ageing populations, he highlighted their increasing demand for Indian workers.

He stressed that India, particularly states like Andhra Pradesh, must act wisely to utilise its human capital effectively and called for an increase in the total fertility rate (TFR) to 2.5.

Disapproving concepts like 'Double Income No Kids', he questioned young people, asking what would have happened if their parents had made similar choices.

To encourage childbirth, Naidu promised to provide Rs 15,000 per child under the Amma Vodi scheme, stating that larger families would receive greater benefits from the government.