AP government forms 'Working Group' to improve ties with Chhattisgarh
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday constituted a Working Group to identify parameters and prepare a road map to improve connectivity with neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
The Working Group, which was mooted during a meeting of AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh in Raipur on September 22, would be co-chaired by chief secretaries of the two states.
At the meeting, the chief ministers discussed the need to improve connectivity between the two states with a view that Chhattisgarh being a land-locked state, needs port connectivity whereas Andhra Pradesh has a long coastline with port infrastructure and can support huge hinterland.
"Both states enjoy a long historic relationship. In order to foster economic growth, cultural exchange between the two states, it has been felt that there is a need to improve physical connectivity including road, railway and air," AP Chief Secretary I Y R Krishna Rao said on Saturday.
Both the governments have decided to constitute a Working Group to be co-chaired by the Chief Secretaries along with Secretaries of Public Works Department (PWD), Transport, Roads and Buildings, Forest, Energy and Chief Minister's Office as members.
Accordingly, the AP government has nominated its seven members to the Working Group, the AP Chief Secretary said in an order.
The Chhattisgarh government would issue necessary orders appointing their officers as part of the Working Group, he said.
The schedule of meetings of the working group shall be decided with mutual consent of the two chief secretaries, he added.