Babu losing patience with Centre

Amaravati: In a first sign of his growing impatience with the Centre's attitude towards the state, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday delivered a punch, asking it to take up the responsibility of completing the Polavaram Project by 2019 if it was not happy with the way the state was handling it.

Naidu apparently flew off the handle when Union Water Resources Ministry wrote to him, picking holes in the state’s decision to sub-contract Polavaram Project and asking him to cancel the tenders already invited. Naidu’s outburst came as a surprise since BJP is TDP’s ally and all along, Naidu has been biting the bullet even when funds for Polavaram were sanctioned in fits and starts.

Naidu in an informal interaction with media-persons and speaking earlier in the Assembly said, that he was exercising extreme restraint as BJP is not only an ally but also a partner in the state government and the TDP in the Centre.

In the Assembly, he said “I will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a few days and explain to him how the promises that had been made to the state have been broken one by one including Polavaram. I am much worried over the inordinate delay in the release of funds for the project”.

Naidu made it clear that if the Centre wants to execute the project, he would welcome come it. But it should complete it in time as the state government has given a commitment to the people that it would dedicate the project to them by 2019. Bottled up emotions in Naidu came to the fore while replying to queries on a discussion on the implementation of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and Special Central Assistance euphemistically known as ‘special package’ promised by the Union government.

He read out the contents of the letter written by Secretary in the Union Water Resources Ministry asking the state to stop going ahead with the tenders for sub-contracting of the Polavaram project works two weeks ago. He said since Polavaram project was lifeline of AP and its completion, his life ambition, he was keen that the works should pick up speed.

“In fact, we never asked the Centre to hand over the project to the state. It was done on the recommendations of NITI Aayog that since state government’s interests are there in the project, AP would be able to complete it in time as it is the beneficiary. But the works are now being delayed for want to funds. I have no objection if the Centre takes it up and completes in a time bound schedule”, he said.

Naidu also expressed dissatisfaction over the unfulfilled promises of Union government. “I met Union Minister for Finance several times and appealed to him to hasten implementation of the assurances given during the division of the state, but nothing has happened so far”, he said, adding “I had settled for a special package, with a view to the interests of the state. The idea of exploiting the issue for political benefit did not cross my mind”, he said.

The Chief Minister said that the state has to get several Central institutions as per the provisions of the Reorganisation Act. He wanted the Centre to provide liberal assistance to the state in time. “I will meet the Prime Minister within two days and submit a comprehensive report on unfulfilled promises. The Central government should come to the rescue of Andhra Pradesh”, he said.