Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has asked officials to approach internationally renowned architects to design the Assembly and the High Court which are to come up in the new capital of Amaravati.
Naidu yesterday reviewed with officials of Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) the progress of the construction programme, an official release said today.
The Chief Minister asked them to ensure that the design and architecture of both the Assembly and the High Court is iconic.
He also asked officials to identify national architects to design Raj Bhavan and (state) Secretariat, it said.
Naidu also instructed them to ensure that quality of all constructions in the new capital is of international standards, the release added.
With government making all-out efforts to get key pending
legislations passed in Parliament, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, "There is no issue that can't be resolved through dialogue and we are for dialogue."
"Government voluntarily offered to discuss the so-called issue of intolerance even before opposition raised it in the all-party meet yesterday," he said.
Government is keen that the key tax reforms legislation, the GST bill, is passed in Parliament and is ready to walk the extra mile and engage with the opposition to iron out differences on the issue.
Naidu said to commemorate the adoption of Constitution on November 26, 1949, the first Constitution Day is being observed today.
Parliament is holding a special sitting on November 26 and 27, remembering Dr B R Ambedkar and other founding fathers of the Constitution and as a mark of respect to them, holding a discussion on the Constitution.
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Lending support to Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, NCP leader Praful Patel said it should be passed in the Winter Session.
"We are in favour of GST. It should be passed in this session. If some good suggestions comes, the government should be open to incorporate those," Patel said.
The government also got comfort from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on GST.
"Government is saying that the implementation of GST will improve and strengthen the economy. It is in the interest of the country. We will therefore support this," BSP supremo Mayawati said.
GST, which will subsume more than a dozen state levies to create a single market, is to be implemented from April 1, 2016. But a Constitution Amendment Bill could not go through the Rajya Sabha in the last session of Parliament due to opposition from the Congress.
The April 1 deadline may be missed if Parliament does not pass the Bill in the session from November 26 to December 23.
Naidu said leaders of the political parties were briefed
and their queries were replied to by the army during an all party meeting on surgical strikes and all of them had gone back home happily. But raising questions over the strikes and seeking proof were "subsequent thoughts".
On the surgical strikes, he said details of such nature are not divulged in national interests and they are not even questioned.
Asked about Rahul Gandhi's 'Khoon ki dalali' comment, Naidu called it as an "immature" remark.
"Whoever made the comment, it was an injustice to the country, it was an injustice to himself. After the comment was made, he became unpopular. People have answered it," said Naidu.
Asked about allegations that BJP has a role in the rift in the Samajwadi Party, Naidu said it has become fashionable for some people to blame the ruling party or RSS for anything.
"Good that they have not blamed RSS. It is an internal family problem. They are fighting among themselves openly. Where is BJP's hand in it," he asked.
Expressing confidence that BJP will emerge victorious in the assembly polls, he blamed SP for ruining the state. "We do not believe in fishing in troubled waters we believe in eating fish," he said in a lighter vein.
Asked who is BJP's number one rival in UP, he said SP, BSP and Congress were in the battle. He also compared the fight between UP CM Akhilesh and his uncle Shivpal as a semi- final, saying "Let's see who comes out victorious.
