The Union government on Thursday released Rs 1,979 crore for Andhra Pradesh. The released fund includes Rs 1,179 crore as compensation for the deficit budget, Rs 450 crore for the capital construction and Rs. 350 crore for the development of backward districts in the state.
While TD leaders hailed the Centre’s assistance for the state, Opposition leaders termed it as an act to pacify the state leaders to forgo the special category status demand for AP.
Speaking to media persons, CPI AP secretary Rama Krishna said that the Central assistance was like charity towards the state and that it will not be of any use for state’s major development works. The state asked for special status and the Centre gave peanuts, he remarked. He also lashed out at the AP minister saying that they did not raise the issue of SCS at the right time and were talking about the issue now when everything is over.
Chalasani Srinivas, Andhra Pradesh Special Category Status Forum chief said that the Centre not granting SCS to AP and instead releasing meager funds is an insult to the people of state.
AP needs major projects like Vizag to Chennai industrial corridor and other such projects for rapid development and this is possible only with the special status, he asserted.(INN)