Former MP Konathala Ramakrishna demands AIIMS

Monday, September 18, 2017 
Visakhapatnam

Former MP Konathala Ramakrishna said that the repetition of the mistake of ‘capital-centric development’ in Amaravati would fuel movements for separation of the State.

Konathala Ramakrishna said that this was pointed out by Justice BN Sri Krishna Committee and later echoed by the Sivaramakrishnan Committee. He said that the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had admitted his ‘Hyderabad mistake’ and promised to decentralized development in all 13 districts of the State.

He said that the people of Visakhapatnam had not asked for the capital though it had all advantages but the backward districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam have been denied their due even after three years. The 400 bed Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences set up during late YSR government was functioning only partially with the beds lying unused for the past five years.

Konathala Ramakrishna demanded converting VIMS into the All India Institute of Medical Sciences as the proposed AIIMS in Guntur was fat fetched as there is nothing but an empty land parcel surrounded by a compound wall. The government could have easily opted for VIMS as it was fully ready in terms of buildings and allied infrastructure. He said that he would convene a meeting of all political parties in the near future to enlist their support to achieve the long pending demands of North Andhra.