Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu past midnight welcomed the Centre’s statement on the special assistance measure for AP announced by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley.
Speaking to mediapersons, the CM said there was a new angle in Mr Jaitley’s statement. “The Centre has assured that an equal amount of grants will be released, which will be equivalent to the benefits of special status,” the Chief Minister said and added that Mr Jaitley had assured that the Centre would bear the expenditure of the Polavaram project.
About 200 villages have to be rehabilitated, which is a bigger issue than the construction of the project, the CM said and reiterated that he was still demanding for special status. “The Centre should clarify from when they will extend financial assistance,” he said.
He said that the grant Centre wished to release for the construction of the capital would not be sufficient. Mr Naidu said that release of funds every year without interruption would help complete projects in time. “The Centre has stated that it would grant funds only for the construction of buildings in the Capital, but not for the Capital, which is not correct,” he said.
The Centre has stated that it has given 11 Central educational institutes, of which Bills still have to be passed for two institutions. “Mr Jaitley statement has to be more specific on what exactly will be done for Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Union minister Suresh Prabhu will clarify on the railway zone issue, he added.
