Unrest among public over tag

“I urge the NDA government to grant Special Category Status to AP at the earliest as it is a unique case and yet to recover from bifurcation wounds. I am only echoing the sentiments of the people of Andhra Pradesh in the House. After the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act was enacted by Parliament in 2014, the previous UPA government had promised to grant Special Category Status to the Andhra Pradesh state for five years to offset losses it could suffer because of the state’s bifurcation. All political parties, including the BJP supported special category status to the AP. As the House knows, the Seemandhra regions vehemently opposed the split and punished the Congress party in general elections, as well as, in the state elections held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

The MP further added that, the BJP was kind enough to demand in Parliament that the Special Category Status be given to Seemandhra for 10 to 15 years. The Central financial assistance to Special Category States is calculated in such a manner that 90 per cent of it is deemed as grant, and the remaining 10 per cent is considered as a loan. He also said that with bifurcation of AP, Seemandhra has suffered huge financial losses.

“IT industry, infrastructure industries, educational institutions and public sector undertakings are concentrated only in Telangana state. We have to build everything from scratch. In spite of financial constraints, our CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has embarked on an ambitious programme of building the new capital city, inviting FDIs and creating infrastructure. It is a humungous task. If Special Category Status is given to Seemandhra, then, these things can be implemented in a smooth way,” he said.