Kakinada set to fly high: Naidu

Kakinada, Jan 9: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said that Kakinada was poised for fast growth next to Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, after receiving the smart city tag.

Addressing the Janmaboomi-Maavuru programme at Parlovapeta Kakinada limits here yesterday, he said the port city was set to become a hub of economic activity after its inclusion in the smart city list.

Kakinada would soon be declared as a clean city, free from open defecation. Another Rs 36 crore project was being implemented to supply water connections to the poor. About 3600 and more houses would be constructed under Centre government sponsored scheme, Naidu said.

Also, the salt creek between the NTR Bridge and the Indrapalem junction would be developed as a tourist spot, spending Rs 90 crore, he added. Despite heavy deficit in the budget, the CM said the government was determined to go ahead with the development and welfare scheme as scheduled by mobilising resources.

On criticism by Opposition for not fulfilling election promises especially those to the Kapu community, Naidu said he was commited to include Kapus in backward class list. Already, a finance corporation has been constituted for the Kapu community with Rs 100 crore corpus fund to look after their requirements.

A Commission is also being constituted to go into the demands of Kapus and a decision would be taken soon after receiving its report, he said. The government's aim was to include Kapus in the BC list without affecting the existing quota.

Hence the Kapus (predominantly concentrated in the coastal districts) need not have any apprehension, he said. Later, Naidu inaugurated the three-day long beach festival at NTR beach in Vakalapudi village here.

Deputy Chief Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishna, in-charge minister Devineni Uma, Kakinada MP Thota Narasimham, District Collector H Arunkumar, SP Ravi Prakash and several MLAS were among those who attended the event.

PTI