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Chandrababu Naidu faults Narendra Modi on special status to AP
AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here on Sunday gave an earful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the anguish of his state over the denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
New Delhi: AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here on Sunday gave an earful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the anguish of his state over the denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing the NITI Aayog meeting here on Sunday and responding to the rosy picture painted by the Prime Minister of the economy of states, Naidu minced no words in telling the nation the 'wilful default' nature of the Centre in denying the state the special category status and its adverse impact on Andhra Pradesh.
Though Naidu took along with him a prepared speech copy to highlight the economic situation of AP and its plight due to denial of the SCS, he rather chose to focus on the status issue more to hit out at Modi. In a speech that could have sent Modi cribbing, Naidu questioned his sagacity in going back on the promise made during the bifurcation.
In his unsparing speech, Naidu questioned Modi why he could not implement the BJP's election manifesto promises on this count. AP people were facing a lot of hardships due to the denial of the same. Despite the neglect, the contribution of the agriculture sector was a spectacular 34 per cent during 2017-18 compared to the 23 per cent of 2013-14 of the combined state, he said. The per capita income of the combined state of AP stood at Rs 89,214, whereas it stood at Rs 82,870 in the residual state.
Naidu also explained the growth or lack of it of each, of each sector, while insisting on funds for the capital city and Polavaram. The revenue deficit had to be filled up without further delay, he said questioning the Centre why it withheld Rs 350 crore payment pertaining to the backward areas. The loss to the state due to demonetisation and GST were highlighted by him, even as he demanded adoption of 2011 census for calculations of the 15th FC so that the states would not be deprived of their due.
He rounded off with a request that the Team India should be built in a cooperative federal spirit unlike what the Modi government was practicing right now. Several Chief Ministers, including Nitish Kumar and Mamata Banerjee, supported Naidu’s demand for the SCS further embarrassing the PM in front of the wider audience.
