YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's SOS to PM for funds
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy presenting a memento to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting, in New Delhi on Thursday
New Delhi: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to keep the promised 'handholding' to Andhra Pradesh in its truest sense by clearing all pending dues from the Centre to the State 'without any delay' and permitting the State to go in for fresh loans by relaxing the credit limits.
During his meeting with the PM, Jagan sought the approval of revised estimates of the Polavaram project, credit limit relaxation, liberal bank loans and ration as per the revised State government data, it is said.
"AP badly needs your help on both these counts as our residual State has been deprived of the benefit of the SCS while the fund flow has thinned out. We have been insisting on the release of Rs 17,000 crore dues immediately. We are also having problems with the completion of the Polavaram project due to some technical flaws that had surfaced due to the previous government's neglect. Unless you intervene, the Finance ministry won't budge. Please do something", the Chief Minister reportedly appealed to the Prime Minister. The Polavaram project has become a sticky issue for the YSRCP government due to the reported damage to the diaphragm wall and the cofferdam in the recent floods. Both the State government and the Opposition have been trading charges on this count with the State unit of the BJP too locking horns with the government.
It is said that Jagan Mohan Reddy, armed with the Central Technical Team's report, explained to the Prime Minister why the project needed to be completed soon. He once again reiterated his demand for the release of Rs 55,548.87 crore of the revised estimate of the project. Revenue deficit was another issue raised by him in the meeting.
His appeals also included the coverage of 1.45 crore families under the National Food Security Act as at present only 0.89 crore families are receiving ration from the Central government. He also sought the Prime Minister's intervention in resolving the disputes between the two Telugu States.
Continued on Page 5