Special Status AP's right: Congress

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) working president Dr Narreddy Tulasi Reddy asserted that Special Category Status is the right of Andhra Pradesh State and it is the Sanjivani, which heals all the ailments.

In a statement released from Andhra Ratna Bhavan here on Tuesday, he said that the BJP has deceived the people of Andhra Pradesh by stating that Special Category Status was a closed chapter. Alleging that regional parties like TDP, YSRCP and Jana Sena are not competent to bring the coveted status to the State, he ridiculed the regional parties for their tall claims of getting special status to the State.

Referring to the special category status, Thulasi Reddy said the special status was awarded to ten States across the country and there are ample benefits if the status was accorded.

"For instance, the Centre would bear 90 per cent of funds in the case centrally sponsored programmes like NREGA. For the States without the status, only 60 per cent of funds would be allotted. Likewise, the Central government would extend 100 per cent funds to the programmes sponsored by foreign countries, if the State has special status. Moreover, there would be exemptions in Central Excise, Customs Duty, Income Tax, Corporate Tax and others, if the status is awarded," he explained.

If the Congress came to power in 2014 or 2019, Andhra Pradesh State would have received the special category status, he noted.

The APCC working president exhorted people to strive to bring back Congress to power at the Centre in 2024 to get special status to the State. Rahul Gandhi would sign his first signature on the special category status to Andhra Pradesh, if the Congress returned to power in 2024, he assured.