Centre has given Rs 7798 cr loans for externally aided projects to AP, says GVL Narasimha Rao

Vijayawada: Special assistance measure popularly known as special package given to Andhra Pradesh in lieu of Special Category Status by the Narendra Modi government is under implementation.

Under this, a loan of Rs 7,798 crore was disbursed for 17 Externally Aided Projects in Andhra Pradesh.

Under the special measure granted by the Central government, both the loan principal amount and interest on the 17 externally aided projects will be funded by Centre.

Member of Rajya Sabha GVL Narasimha Rao said in a statement here on Tuesday that the minister of state for finance stated in a reply to a question by him that the special assistance measure including special dispensation in funding of externally aided projects was announced by the Union government on March 15, 2015 after taking a consolidated view in the light of various assurances given in Parliament, recommendations of the Finance Commission and developmental needs of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh.

These projects included the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Corridor project (Rs 1859 crore), Andhra Pradesh Health Systems Strengthening Project (Rs 935 crore), Andhra Pradesh Power for All Project (Rs 897 crore) and Andhra Pradesh Rural Roads Project (Rs 825 Crore).

The detailed list of projects and disbursements made under the special assistance measure are furnished in the enclosed parliament reply.

These facts were revealed by minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply to a question by Narasimha Rao on Tuesday.

Asked whether the special assistance measure was accepted by the then state government, the minister revealed that the then Chief Minister acknowledged and thanked the then Union finance minister for the special assistance measure vide letter dated May 2, 2017.

The special measure also involved decisions regarding the execution of Polavaram as a national project with 100 per cent funding of the remaining cost of the irrigation component of the project as on April 1, 2014 with borrowing from NABARD or through Government of India borrowing.

Speaking on the subject, the MP stated that the present YSRCP and previous TDP governments have misled the people of Andhra Pradesh that the special package announced by the Narendra Modi government is not under implementation.

These lies have been exposed by the reply given in Parliament, MP Narasimha Rao added.