N Chandrababu Naidu seeks Narendra Modi's support for Amaravati, slew of AP projects

VIJAYAWADA: AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend support for the construction Amaravati during their meeting on Friday. After the meeting, Mr Naidu said issues related to delimitation, Polavaram, state finances and the Reorganisation Act assurances were taken up. The CM urged Mr Modi to set up the institutions in AP, which fell in Schedule 9, besides setting up a taskforce to see that assurances of the Reorganisation Act were implemented.

He sought measures to complete the Dugarapatnam port and reminded the PM about the assurance of fina-nce minister Arun Jaitley about the special package.
“Mr Ärun Jaitley had said that all aspects in special category status would be part of the special package," Mr Naidu said. The CM wanted Mr Modi to ensure the release of Rs 16,000 crore for externally aided projects. The two also discussed the railway zone for Vizag. He said the Rs 3,979-crore revenue deficit had been released and wanted the rest to be given.

An amount of Rs 2,500 crore had been given for Amarav-ati and Rs 1,000 crore for development of Vijayawada and Guntur cities. Educational institutions, under the 13th Schedule, were given only Rs 460 crore out of the Rs 11,000 crore. “My vision is only about development,” Mr Naidu said, adding that he was more interested in AP development, than politics. Nobody else has exerted as much pressure on the Centre, he said and hoped to overcome hurdles with the Centre’s support. “The earlier government had deceived AP,” the CM said. Mr Naidu was critical of YSRC which, he said, “fled without submitting resignations” on the demand for special status.