Hyderabad: Union minister of state for home Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary on Friday gave clarity on the Centre’s stand regarding Special Category Status to AP, telling the Rajya Sabha that it was not required, but the Centre will help the state in all respects.
Incidentally, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had earlier in the day criticised the Centre for poor assistance to the residuary state, including non-implementation of the promises it made.
Mr Chaudhary said a special meeting of NITI-Ayog will be held on May 4 to discuss the progress made in the implementation of various provisions of the Reorganisation Act with respect to AP and TS.
He was replying to a debate on the Private Member’s Bill moved by K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao to incorporate Special Category Status clause in AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
After the reply by the minister, who requested the member to withdraw his Bill in view of his assurances to AP, Dr Ramachandra Rao insisted on a division. However, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the session for Monday for lack of quorum.
Since it is a Private Member’s Bill, it will be taken up next Friday. The Bill moved by Dr Ramachandra Rao was supported by all political parties in the House, including members from TS.
Replying to the debate, Mr Chaudhary said that the Centre has taken the concerns of the residuary state into account and has been assisting the state by pumping funds besides establishing several Central government educational and other institutions in the state.
“The Centre is committed to and will implement everything mentioned in the Act in a phased manner,” Mr Chaudhary said.
TRS member K. Kesava Rao, while supporting Special Category Status to AP, demanded the Centre honour the Reorganisation Act in respect of Telangana and take steps to establish a separate High Court and a steel plant at Bayyaram.
However TD member C.M. Ramesh accused the Congress of dividing the state in unscientific way, thus causing immense hardships to AP. He said that the then UPA government had only made promises in the Act without specific guarantees like on establishment of new Railway Zone.
Congress members M.A. Khan and J.D. Seelam criticised the NDA government for not implementing the promises and other provisions in the Act.
Rubbishing their arguments, Mr Chaudhary, while replying to the debate, said that Congress members had only made speeches without looking into what NDA has done for the past two years for the AP State.
