Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Nirmala Seetharaman today said special status is the right of Andhra Pradesh State.
Speaking to media here on Sunday, the Union minister said the Centre was committed to confer special status on AP. However, it will take some more time to accord the status, she said, adding that the Centre has allocated Rs 500 crore for the construction of new capital city for AP.
Stating that they were also mounding pressure on the Centre to accord special status to the State, Seetharaman said National Institute of Design would be established at Vijayawada in the capital region soon. Under Jan Dhan Scheme, 14.5 crore bank accounts have been opened in various banks and Rs 14,000 crore were deposited in these accounts by the people, she said. At present, there are two NIDs in the country, one each at Ahmedabad and Bengaluru. Classes for the new institute would commence from this academic year temporarily on the campus of Acharya Nagarjuna University. She also said the process of entrance examinations for the NIDs at Ahmedabad and Bengaluru has been completed, she said. The All India Management Association, Delhi, was given the responsibility to conduct the entrance examinations for the NID to be set up at Vijayawada, she said. The officials from her ministry are now looking for a site and construction of buildings for the new institute would begin soon, she added. (NSS)