Visakhapatnam: Anakapalle MP Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao had raised about sanctioning special status to AP in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, on Wednesday.
He urged the NDA Government to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh at the earliest as it is a unique case and yet to recover from the loss due to bifurcation.
“I am only echoing the sentiments of the people of Andhra Pradesh in the House. Madam, after the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act was enacted by the Parliament in 2014, the previous UPA government had promised to grant Special Category Status to AP 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 AP. As the House knows, the Seemandhra regions vehemently opposed the split and punished the Congress party in the general elections, as well as, in the State elections held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
The TD MP also said the BJP was kind enough to demand in the Parliament that the Status be given to Seemandhra for 10-15 years. Already, there is unrest among the people of Andhra for not sanctioning Special Category Status. If the decision is delayed further, then, it becomes difficult for elected representatives to convince people, he added.
The Central financial assistance to Special Category States is calculated in such a manner that 90 pc of it is deemed as grant, and the remaining 10 pc is considered as a loan.
“IT industry, infrastructure industries, educational institutions and PSUs are concentrated only in Telangana. In spite of financial constraints, our CM has embarked on an ambitious programme of building the new capital city, inviting FDIs. If SCS is given, then these things can be implemented in a smooth way,” he said.
