Key agreement between AP Municipal Department and UK Governments – Development of infrastructure in Amaravati as well as 123 municipalities and municipal corporations in the state – Use of world-class technology for infrastructure works worth Rs. 40 thousand crores
Raja Pentapati - AP Bureau Chief
Amaravati August 25th Bharat Digital news
National News
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Government of the United Kingdom in Amaravati on Tuesday for long-term cooperation in the areas of urban development and infrastructure.
Principal Secretary, Department of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Suresh Kumar and Deputy Director, Government Partnerships, UK Government, Chaz Walia signed the agreement. The AP delegation led by the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P. Narayana and the UK delegation participated in the program.
Amaravati will be a key cooperation area in this partnership. The UK expertise and technology will further strengthen the state government’s goal of developing Amaravati as a modern, sustainable, eco-friendly, and world-class capital with improved connectivity.
This cooperation will also be useful for the development of infrastructure in Amaravati as well as in 123 municipalities and municipal corporations in the state. The state government is focusing on more effective development of basic infrastructure such as roads, drainage, drinking water, solid waste management, liquid waste management etc.
Minister Shri P. Narayana said that with the cooperation of the central and state governments, infrastructure works worth about Rs. 40 thousand crores have been taken up across the state and tenders are being called for and implemented for many works. He said that there is a possibility of achieving better results by using modern technology and best practices from the UK in these works.
The Andhra Pradesh-UK partnership will mainly continue on infrastructure planning, sustainable urban development, technology transfer-innovations, and integrated urban transport systems. The two governments will work together in terms of project planning, prioritization, financial feasibility assessment, investment-friendly business case development, project design, program management, and implementation, in line with international standards.
The agreement places special emphasis on technology transfer and innovation. Cooperation will be provided in areas such as Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital Twins, advanced construction technologies, and Research and Development (R&D).
The aim is to enhance the capacity of government institutions and promote knowledge exchange among experts by bringing the best expertise, technology, and best practices of various organizations in the UK to the state. Minister Narayana said that the UK will provide support to develop the cities of the state as liveable cities and smart cities.
As part of the Chief Minister’s goal of developing Amaravati as one of the top five cities in the world, the goal is to use world-class technology and best practices in the development of Amaravati.
The Minister explained that with the cooperation of the Central and State Governments, works worth about Rs. 40 thousand crores have been undertaken across the state and if UK technology is used, there is a possibility of completing these works with better standards.
The UK delegation included South Asia Trade Counsellor Mark Birrell, Deputy High Commissioner Gareth Win Owen, National Lead-Infrastructure Rishikesh Chanda, South India Regional Head-Infrastructure Rohit Chandragiri, Deputy Director of Government Partnerships Shri Chaz Walia,
APCRDA Commissioner Shri Vijaya Ramaraju, and senior officials of the corporation.
. Swacha Andhra Pradesh