Special status to AP not a solution to all its problems: Venkaiah Naidu

Hyderabad: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh was not a panacea to all the problems that the state was facing.

"The issue of AP's plea for special category status was being examined by the NITI Aayog," Venkaiah told reporters here on the sidelines of an event.

The Union Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister, however, pointed out that the eleven states, which were already enjoying the special category status were seeking more funds from the Centre, which indicate that "the status was not a solution to all problems".

Ridiculing the Congress leaders for raising hue and cry on the special category status issue now despite keeping mum over it when in power, Naidu sought to know why they did not include the special category status to AP in the Reorganisation Act.

"The BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre came to power only 18 months back," the Minister said, adding that they were trying to fulfil all the poll promises one by one.

He further said Siddipet in Telangana and Srikalahasti and Kavali in Andhra Pradesh have been selected under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.