World Bank told: Withdraw proposal to fund new Andhra capital project, it will lead to massive displacement

By A Representative
Top civil society leaders and experts have got together to tell the World Bank board that it must comply by the recent recommendations of the Bank's Inspection Panel for funding the project (approximately Rs 4,700 crore soft loan) to build a new capital for Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati, which it had prepared following its visit to India in mid-September this year.
Uploaded in October, the recommendations were mysteriously pulled down within a few days. The Panel visited the project site on September 13-15, 2017 and heard various representations from the project-affected families. Justifying the decision to pull down the Panel's report, the World Bank said, it was "inadvertently" uploaded before being reviewed by the Bank’s board of executive directors.
Seeking investigation into the grievances of the complainants, the Panel had talked of the need to look into “issues of potential harm and policy non-compliance”, adding, people had “raised issues of a serious character that can only be fully ascertained in the context of an investigation.”
It had also recommended on the need to “carrying out an investigation,” which should "primarily focus on the resettlement aspects, as well as environmental concerns, and issues related to consultation, participation and disclosure of information as they pertain to the Bank’s financing, policies and procedures.”
Those who have signed the letter to the World Bank board include social activist Medha Patkar, former power secretary Dr EAS Sarma, Goldman Prize awardee Prafulla Samanthra, retired scientist of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) Dr Babu Rao, and others.
The letter says, all the affected groups, communities, supportive civil society organizations and media are now watching the board’s decision closely, which will decide on further investigation into the Bank’s non-compliance with its operating policies. In all, it adds, 56,000 acres land would be acquired, displacing 20,000 families.
Addressed to each of the executive directors of the World Bank Group, even while drawing "urgent attention" to various irregularities surrounding the proposed Amaravati Sustainable Capital City Development Project of Andhra Pradesh, the letter says, there has been "lack of sufficient public consultations" while going ahead with the project.
Also drawing attention to "grave threat to food security and loss of fertile floodplains" because of the Amaravati project, the letter says, the suggestions of the Panel’s report for a full investigation into the violations of the Bank’s operating policies must be followed by the Board, and the Board should not undermine the mandate of its own accountability mechanism.
It says, it is astonishing that the Bank has been silent on Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s instruction to the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to firmly deal with the people who filed complaints with the World Bank, adding, there is complete lack of an adequate and comprehensive Resettlement Policy Plan while going ahead with the project.
Referring also to the "failure" of the Bank to address the issue of uprooting the impoverished Dalit families from Lanka Lands in Krishna River islands, the letter said, this would lead directly to the creation of a wide marginalised community of informal sector on the outskirts of the capital city.
The letter concluded, the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a co-financier of the project, are accountable for the "impending crucial consequences of this mammoth capital city project", adding, as for the state government, it should withdraw the "faulty" land pooling scheme as also the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act (APRCDA Act 2014) be abolished.

Comments

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

The Epstein shock, global power games and India’s foreign policy dilemma

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The “Epstein” tsunami has jolted establishments everywhere. Politicians, bureaucrats, billionaires, celebrities, intellectuals, academics, religious gurus, and preachers—all appear to be under scrutiny, even dismantled. At first glance, it may seem like a story cutting across left, right, centre, Democrats, Republicans, socialists, capitalists—every label one can think of. Much of it, of course, is gossip, as people seek solace in the possible inclusion of names they personally dislike.

Paper guarantees, real hardship: How budget 2026–27 abandons rural India

By Vikas Meshram In the history of Indian democracy, the Union government’s annual budget has always carried great significance. However, the 2026–27 budget raises several alarming concerns for rural India. In particular, the vague provisions of the VBG–Ram Ji scheme and major changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) have put the future of rural workers at risk. A deeper reading of the budget reveals that these changes are not merely administrative but are closely tied to political and economic priorities that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of rural households.

Penpa Tsering’s leadership and record under scrutiny amidst Tibetan exile elections

By Tseten Lhundup* Within the Tibetan exile community, Penpa Tsering is often described as having risen through grassroots engagement. Born in 1967, he comes from an ordinary Tibetan family, pursued higher education at Delhi University in India, and went on to serve as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 2008 to 2016. In 2021, he was elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), becoming the second democratically elected political leader of the administration after Lobsang Sangay.

Michael Parenti: Scholar known for critiques of capitalism and U.S. foreign policy

By Harsh Thakor* Michael Parenti, an American political scientist, historian, and author known for his Marxist and anti-imperialist perspectives, died on January 24 at the age of 92. Over several decades, Parenti wrote and lectured extensively on issues of capitalism, imperialism, democracy, media, and U.S. foreign policy. His work consistently challenged dominant political and economic narratives, particularly those associated with Western liberal democracies and global capitalism.

Search This Blog