Special status to AP unlikely Venkaiah

Vijayawada: The Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, M Venkaiah Naidu, on Saturday threw enough hints of the bleak prospects of the Centre granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh, allocation of special status to Rayalaseema and North Andhra and extension of financial support for capital building for Andhra Pradesh. The Minister was addressing the members of the newly-founded Andhra Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation here.

Naidu said that other States were not favourably inclined towards the special category status for Andhra Pradesh. He said the Planning Commission was also not in favour of the proposal, and there were many several difficulties in the way. Naidu blamed the previous UPA government for making all promises to the State, without making any commitment.

“The UPA government did not allocate funds, nor had it accorded special category status. They just said that the next government would grant them all. Now, to get them all done, we are facing difficulties,” he said. “I had asked the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to get the approval of the Planning Commission for special category status to Andhra Pradesh. But, he told me that he was making the statement in his capacity as the Chairman of the Planning Commission and rushed the bill through the Rajya Sabha. As a result, we are facing all problems,” he rued.

Venkaiah did not spare the Samaikyandhra leaders, who wasted valuable time of the people by holding protests on the streets, rather than asking for what was required for the State. He said several leaders held protests, without demanding what they wanted for the new State. He also took exception to the Telugu Desam Party leaders for making tall claims on everything.

“I have also advised the TDP leaders to refrain from making tall promises when there is no money. Not only just Andhra Pradesh, even the Centre is facing financial problems,” he said. On the release of funds for the capital building, the Union Minister said the Centre was also facing financial crisis and making efforts to set the economy on track.

However, he said he was trying his best to get some financial assistance to the State for the capital building. He said he had already told the Andhra Pradesh Ministers and the senior officers to prepare estimates of expenditure required for building capital city. The Union Minister, however, indicated that it may not be possible to give a huge grant to the State. He suggested that the State government mobilise funds from various sources to build the capital city.