Andhra Pradesh forms committee to look into Amaravati and other plans

15 Nov 2019 Editorial Team

In a bid to review and study developmental plans in Andhra Pradesh as well as the upcoming capital of Amaravati, the state government has reportedly set up a committee consisting of five members – urban planning experts. They have been charged with the responsibility to analyse the project plans that have been implemented up until now and recommend an extensive strategy to ensure that the state is developing and growing on all fronts. The newly formed committee has been directed to submit the report around mid-December.

The move is seen in the backdrop of the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Invest Bank’s (AIIB) decision to withhold funding and withdrawing their support for the Amaravati project. Reportedly, the organisations in total were going to previously provide funding of $500 million, while the Andhra Pradesh Government was going to contribute $200 million.

At a recent AIIB event in Mumbai, Laurel Ostfield, Director General & Company Spokesperson, AIIB, shared with CW, “We were co-financing this project with the World Bank, but are no longer funding it. The decision has been made by our investment committee, and the deliberations remain highly confidential.”

As per a statement released by World Bank, on July 15, the Government of India withdrew its request to the World Bank for financing the proposed Amaravati Sustainable Infrastructure and Institutional Development Project. The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has been informed that the proposed project is no longer under preparation following the government’s decision. However, the World Bank continues to support the state with over a $1 billion programme that covers the health, agriculture, energy and disaster management sectors.

Going by reports, it remains unclear if the formation of the committee is solely related to determining the scope of the Amaravati project or not. Further clarity is expected only post the submission of the requested report.

Infrastructure Transport

13 Oct 2025

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..