Is Amaravati being hijacked by Singapore Companies? The Answer is resounding yes. Grapevine in the babudom has many doubts about the implementation of Amaravati capital project. According to sources, chief minister Naidu, in his anxiety to see that the project is not delayed beyond 2018 is buckling under the pressure from Singapore companies. In the same breath, Singapore companies are trying to exploit Naidu’s political compulsions to force him to sign on dotted line as per their terms of reference. Result, deviation from the original ideas and plan of state government enunciated in the very first MoU signed between the state government of Andhra Pradesh and the government of Singapore.
The two governments signed first MoU on December 8,2014 in the presence of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and Singapore Industry, trade and second minister of Home, S Iswaran. In the joint press conference later Iswaran said, ” We have decided to work with the government of Andhra Pradesh on the this project of master planning and development of capital city”. The MoU was signed D Sambasiva Rao, by the then chairman of Infrastructure Corporation of AP and Teo Eng Cheong, CEO of International Enterprise, Government of Singapore.
* Sometime later Singapore distanced itself from the MoU. Minister Iswaran repeatedly reminded the media that Singapore government had no role in the construction of capital. Why?
* The cabinet meeting, held in Rajahmundry(July 22, 2015), endorsed the development of seed capital in 8 km. Now it has been increased to 16.9 km. Why?
* As per the December 8, 2014 agreement, the master developer of the Capital city should be a 100 subsidiary of City State. Now, Naidu preferring private firms. They were the entities involved in the development of master plan. These firms are being involved in the capital construction 100 per cent without any role for Singapore government. Why?
* The first MoU clearly talked of a special purpose vehicle between the two governments of AP and Singapore. Now there has been no talk of SPV? Why?
* Reports indicate that Swiss Challenge method is being called off . Why?
According to grapevine, the l original MoU is being violated in letter and in spirit.
