New Delhi, July 28: Andhra Pradesh is among the 24 States and Union Territories which have signed the State Support Agreement (SSA) with the National Highways Authority of India so far. Informing this to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath said that some State governments had sought clarifications pertaining to some of the provisions in SSA, especially those relating to restriction on construction of competing roads, additional toll ways, levying of local taxes etc.
Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Orissa and Meghalaya signed the SSA after receiving the clarifications, he said.
Amongst the States which have not signed the SSA so far includes Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Kerala. While Uttar Pradesh Government signed the SSA on January 13, 2010, it subsequently withdrew on March 26, 2010.
State Support Agreement is an umbrella agreement which is applicable to the National Highways projects being undertaken after signing of the agreement. The SSA does not prevent the State Governments from undertaking significant road development in their respective State.
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