Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan meets Modi, seeks financial assistance
By Newsmeter Network Published on 6 Oct 2019 7:38 AM GMT
New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inauguration of AP’s prestigious programme the ‘Raithu Bharosa’. The program will be launched on October 15 in Nellore.
On Saturday, Jagan met with Modi in Delhi. The meeting lasted for 45 minutes and the two leaders discussed several issues in relation to Andhra Pradesh.
The AP Chief Minister submitted a memorandum to the PM seeking Central assistance to the cash strapped state.
Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy requested for sanction for grant-in-aid which in the Budget is Rs 61,071 cr. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy told the PM that the state government received only Rs 6,739 crore. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the previous government had kept bills worth Rs 50,000 crore pending.
In addition to that, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy asked another additional Rs 40,000 crore for the development of the state.
Jagan pleaded with the Prime Minister to release a revenue deficit of Rs 18,969 crore, as per AP Reorganisation Act. He told Modi that the revised estimates for the completion of the Polavaram project are Rs 55,548 crore. An estimated cost of Rs 30,000 crore will be utilised for land acquisition and rehabilitation. He appealed for the interlinking of the Krishna Godavari rivers, as it would help the Rayalaseema region and coastal regions in Andhra Pradesh.
The AP Chief Minister told the PM that the state could save Rs 838 crore due to reverse tendering. He requested for funds to be released for the North coastal and Rayalaseema districts on the lines of the
Bundelkhand package. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy reminded the PM that an amount of Rs 1,050 crore is yet to be released.
In addition, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy sought for financial assistance to be extended to the Kadapa Steel Plant, Ramayampatnam port and Visakhapatnam Chennai Industrial Corridor. He also asked for the Central government’s held for his Navaratnalu programmes.
The Chief Minister appealed to the Prime Minister that AP be granted special status for the overall development of the state.
He reiterated that the bifurcation has a long-lasting impact on Andhra Pradesh. Mr Jagan told the PM, “The state will be developed, if we are granted special status on par with the north eastern states.”
