The Communist Party of India (Marxist) urged the Andhra Pradesh government to provide special economic assistance of ₹10,000 crore for focused development of Prakasam district.
A delegation of CPI(M) leaders led by its district assistant secretary G.V. Konda Reddy called on Social Welfare Minister M. Nagarjuna and Municipal Administration Minister A. Suresh on October 12 also urged the Ministers to impress upon the Centre to include the Prakasam district in the list of seven backward districts under the State Reorganisation Act for providing special economic assistance.
The district formed by bringing together most backward parts of Kurnool, Nellore and Guntur districts remained backward even after five decades, the CPI(M) leaders said, adding for unknown reasons, the most backward district had been left out by the Centre for a special economic assistance on the lines of the ‘Bundlekhand package’ at the time of bifurcation of undivided Andhra Pradesh. Steps should taken to undo the damage to protect the interests of the drought-prone district, they said.
The promised big-ticket projects, including the Donakonda industrial corridor and National Manufacturing and Investment Zone (NIMZ), remained a non-starter, they lamented. They expressed concern over the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda project progressing at a snail’s pace and inordinate delay in repairing the Obul Reddy Gundalakamma project which developed a snag last year. This was at a time when the farmers were suffering because of prolonged dry spell, they said.
