Centre must come to Andhra Pradesh’s aid: Governor ESL Narasimhan

Hyderabad: Reiterating the Telugu Desam government’s anguish at the lack of specific allocations for Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan said on Saturday that AP can’t compete with other states unless the Centre assists it.

He said the government is determined to make AP the best state in the country by 2029.

Governor Narasimhan addressed a joint session of the AP Assembly and Council on the first day of the Budget session.

Mr Narasimhan began outlining the lack of support from the Centre to AP.

He pointed that the 14th Finance Commission had also not provided “any special preference” and expectations regarding the Union Budget also “didn’t fructify.”

He also recalled the promises made to AP by former PM Dr Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha.

Governor Narasimhan said that 33,000 acres were “voluntarily given by farmers for the capital.”

The YSRC had been vociferous in its opposition saying that land was forcibly acquired.

The Governor also said that the meagre allocation of Rs 100 crore for the Polavaram National Project has put its plans in disarray.

However, he said, “We will try to complete this project by March 2018.”

He said initiatives taken by the government had led to a growth rate of 7.21 per cent in 2014-15. Mr Narasimhan also pointed out that the per capita income of the state had risen to Rs 90,517 per annum.

Mr Narasimhan reiterated the government’s commitment to women’s safety also. He said AP would become the gateway to South East Asia through development of ports