The Union government on Tuesday, 4 February, said that each state was free to decide its own capital, in response to a question filed by Telugu Desam Party MP Jayadev Galla. The MP’s question and the answer by the Home Ministry comes on the heels of the controversy surrounding Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh’s capital.
Jayadev Galla had posed a question regarding the decision of Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to set up three capitals in the state, wherein he asked for the Union government’s reaction to the same, how it will help the people of the state, and whether the Union government will advice the state government “not to resort to such decisions”, which will vitiate the investment climate and harm farmers.
In response to this, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai stated: “Government of Andhra Pradesh had notified Amaravati as the Capital City, vide its G.O. dated 23 April 2015. Recently, media reports have appeared indicating the State Government’s decision to create three capitals for the State of Andhra Pradesh. It is for each State to decide its capital within its territory.”