All hopes dashed: Naidu

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and disappointment over the raw deal meted out to the state in the Union Budget – 2015-16. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, a visibly upset Naidu said the situation of Andhra Pradesh was akin to that of a bird which is expected to fly after its wings being clipped.

He said he had visited New Delhi eight times and explained in detail to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about the critical financial situation of the state. He said that after the meagre allocations the state got in the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, he hoped that “justice would be delivered to the state in the Union Budget. But, it had dashed our hopes, he said.

Naidu said he had not made any unusual demands. All that he wanted was a helping hand to attain level-playing ground. The Centre during the time of bifurcation had promised incentives for industries on the like of Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal but nothing of the kind was announced. Does not the Central government have responsibility to address the issues being faced by the state, asked Naidu.

People had elected the BJP at the Centre and the TDP in the state, with a hope that they would get justice in the aftermath of the bifurcation. But the Centre has left the people high and dry, he said. Naidu said the Centre had given Rs 350 crore to the backward regions development grant to seven districts in Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

This was in line with a promise made to the state as part of the Re-organisation Act to extend financial assistance on par with Bundelkhand. But surprisingly the Centre had removed the backward regions development grant. Even the capital depreciation incentive of 15 per cent and Investment depreciation of 15 per cent announced would be of no use unless the company earns profits for a period of five years and becomes eligible to avail the benefits, he said.

On the Polavaram Irrigation Project, Naidu said the project was allocated only Rs 100 crore. At this rate, the project cannot be completed within the next five years, he said. While reminding that the Prime Minister himself had announced in a public meeting in Delhi that the Centre would help in building a capital better than Delhi, Naidu said he would soon go to New Delhi and submit a detailed memorandum and ask them to take necessary steps to address the problems and make necessary corrections so that AP could get adequate financial assistance.