Notwithstanding the repeated attempts of Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to rope in Singapore for the revival of the Amaravati start-up area project, the Singapore government has refused to take up the project.
Singapore minister for manpower, trade and industry D Tan See Leng, who held a meeting with Naidu on Monday posted a statement on his Facebook page on Tuesday, ruling out the possibility of reviving the Amaravati start-up area development project.
The minister, however, said his government would extend technical cooperation in urban development initiatives in the capital city.
Leng said during Naidu’s first term in 2014 – 2019, Singapore supported AP in developing its capital city, Amaravati, providing a masterplan, expert exchanges, and capacity building.
“Singapore companies also won a Swiss Challenge tender to develop a start-up area in Amaravati. However, this cooperation ceased when a new government took over in 2019. The Singapore consortium also exited the Amaravati project,” he said.
Leng said the Singapore consortium will not be reconstituted to take up the Amaravati start-up area development project again.
“However, Singapore will continue to support the development of Andhra Pradesh and Amaravati through technical cooperation in urban development and working together with partners like World Bank,” he said.
The start-up area was supposed to be developed in an area of 6.84 sq km in three phases spanning 20 years.
However, even before the Singapore consortium initiated the project, Naidu lost power and YSR Congress party government led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy came to power in 2019.
Soon after coming to power, Jagan cancelled the agreement with the Singapore consortium, as his government had shelved the Amaravati capital city project.
Finally, the Singapore consortium, too, agreed to withdraw from the project voluntarily with some mutually agreed terms.
On November 12, 2019, following the state government's announcement to discontinue the start-up area development project, the Singapore consortium also formally announced the project's closure.
Reacting to Leng’s remarks, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh was looking forward to renewed collaboration with Singapore in key sectors such as agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, renewable energy, port infrastructure, digital innovation, and skill development.
