Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is understood to have zeroed in on June 6 to lay the foundation stone for the new capital city, Amaravathi, near Tullur of Guntur district.

“Vedic pundits told us that June 5, 6 and 8 are auspicious days for the State government to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the new capital.

They also informed us that if we miss these three dates there are no propitious days for the state till next March,” labour minister K Atchannaidu told newsmen here after an eight-hour meeting of the state Cabinet.The state government is considering June 6 to lay the foundation for the new capital since many astrologers favoured that day, he said.

According to Atchannaidu, even if the two Singapore agencies do not submit the master plans -- one for core capital and another for the entire capital city -- by June 6, the State government wants to have foundation stone laying on that day. Construction works of the capital city will, however, begin from Dasara.

Interestingly, Chief Minister Naidu, who will be completing one year in office by June 8, has firmed up his decision to run the State administration three days a week from the new capital region from June 2.

According to sources, during the Cabinet meeting, Naidu mentioned that a camp office is being readied for him to run the government from Vijayawada, which falls under the new capital region of the State. “If we continue to run the government from Hyderabad, people of AP may feel that

they are kept aloof from the administration. Hence, we should try to gradually relocate the seat of power to the new capital region. As part of this, we all should try to spend much time in our State,” Naidu reportedly told his colleagues.

Naidu asked his Cabinet colleagues to set up their respective camp offices in Vijayawada by June 2.

“All of you should start working from the new capital region at least for a few days in a week from June 2,” Naidu told the ministers.

The chief minister directed the three-member officials’ panel, headed by principal secretary B Sam Bob (transport and R&B), which is looking into the issue of identifying Heads of Departments (HoDs) to be moved to the new capital region on priority basis, to select the departments to be shifted to the new capital with immediate effect.

AP Capital Steps

•     Govt to go for foundation laying even if master plans are not ready by June 6
•     Actual construction works to begin from Dasara
•     CM’s camp office being readied at Vijayawada
•     Naidu tells ministers to set up their camp offices in Vijayawada by June 2
•     Panel told to select the departments to be shifted to the new capital with immediate effect