The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to flag the creation of infrastructure such as roads in the three capitals proposed by it at a meeting with the Union Home Secretary Ajay K. Bhalla slated for November 21 (Tuesday). The government would also drive down the message at the meeting that injustice was meted out to Andhra Pradesh post- bifurcation.
“Ask the Centre to release funds for development of infrastructure such as roads in three capitals announced by the State government as part of its plans for decentralised development of the State,” Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said at a preparatory meeting on institutions listed under 13th Schedule of the A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014, held at his camp office at Tadepalli on November 20 (Monday).
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that several assurances were given to the residual State in the A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014 as it would suffer heavily with Hyderabad city, equipped with all basic infrastructure like roads, educational institutions and industries, going to Telangana. “However, the assurances remain on the paper as of now. Raise the issue and suggest to the Centre that it should pay extra attention to the State and expedite the fulfilment of the promises during the bifurcation,” the Chief Minister told the officials.
Pointing out that several promises made in the 13th Schedule remained unresolved even after ten years of bifurcation, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “Injustice has been meted out to the State with the Centre allotting 58% of the debts and 42% of revenues of the undivided State to Andhra Pradesh, while allotting 58% revenues to Telangana.”
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy asked the officials to remind the Centre that it had given assurance on the Kadapa Steel Plant and Dugarajapatnam Port, and put pressure on it for the fulfilment of the promises. Visakhapatnam Railway zone issue should also be raised in the meeting, besides seeking to expedite the establishment of Central Agricultural University as sought by the State and build a high-speed rail corridor linking Visakhapatnam and Kadapa via Kurnool, he said.
The Chief Minister asked the officials to raise the issue of Bhogapuram airport being built as a replacement to Vizag airport which is facing hurdles in civil aviation. “Seek funds for laying the highway between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram airport and fulfilling the promise of upgrading Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam airports as international airports,” he told the officials.
Raising the issue of Visakha Metro Rail, the Chief Minister asked the officials to seek 40% of the funds from the Centre for acquiring land and construction of the project as private promoters have come forward to bear 60% of the cost. The officials were told to raise the issue of the division of properties in various banks between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy asked the officials to raise the issues of pending funds for the Polavaram project, Special Category Status (SCS) to the State and non-payment of power bill arrears from Telangana among others.
Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy and other top officials were present in the meeting.
