AP govt. delegation meets central govt. secretaries, urges to resolve pending issues of the state

The Andhra Pradesh state government delegation met the Centre on Monday over pending issues in Andhra Pradesh. The delegation, led by YSR Congress MP Vijayasai Reddy, includes AP Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma and other senior officials. They held talks with a team of central secretaries. The state delegation will ask to approve the revised estimates for the Polavaram project, release of funds due to the state under the revenue deficit and release of funds to all the institutions to be set up under the Bifurcation Act.

It is learned that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issues facing the state. Later, Prime Minister Modi set up a committee with secretaries to resolve the issues. In this context, the AP government delegation is holding talks with the Union Secretaries on Monday. The delegation is said to have brought to the notice of the Central Secretariat over the issues such as approval of revised estimates of Rs. 55,656.87 crore for the polavaram project and release of Rs 2100 crore spent by the state government to expedite the construction of polavaram project. The delegation has said that Andhra Pradesh, which has a population of 58 per cent, received only 45 per cent of the revenue and asked to co-operate in this aspect and change this situation.

The AP delegation has learned to have asked the central secretaries to pay the revenue deficit of Rs 18,830.87 crore. They claimed that Telangana state has to pay Rs. 6,284 crore electric charges stating that the AP GENCO has supplied the power to Telangana from June 2, 2014, to June 10, 2017 as per the directions of the Centre after bifurcation. The delegation has asked the centre to direct Telangana to pay the charges.

The YSRCP leaders opined that the state is facing serious problems as the National Food Security Act lacks rationality in identifying beneficiaries by which the state government is providing ration to an additional 56 lakh people in the state through PDS. In this context, they asked that they should conduct a comprehensive review of those living below the poverty line in the state and benefit more beneficiaries.

The AP government delegation sought permission to acquire a loan of Rs 42,472 crore to rehabilitate the economy affected by the corona epidemic under the FRBM Act. They also sought the renewal of site clearance given to Bhogapuram International Airport and deliver the Mecon report on the setting up of an integrated steel plant in the Kadapa district. They said that the long-cherished dream of the people of Rayalaseema will come true if the mines are quickly allotted to the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation.