Mount pressure on Centre to honour promises under AP Reorganisation Act: YS Jagan to officials

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that the bifurcation of the State caused severe damage to the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and even after 10 years of partition, the provisions of the Act remain the same. “It is the Union Government's responsibility to fulfill the promises,” he said.

YS Jagan held a review meeting with senior officials at his camp office in Tadepalli and discussed the 13th schedule of the AP Reorganisation Act on Monday. Senior officials from Andhra Pradesh would participate in a meeting to be chaired by the Union Home Secretary Ajay K Bhalla on Tuesday. They informed the Chief Minister regarding the topics to be mentioned in the meeting before the Centre.

The Chief Minister said that over 58 percent of the debt was shared with Andhra Pradesh and 42 percent with Telangana. But in terms of revenue, 58 percent went to Telangana and 42 percent to AP. “How will the revenue of the State increase if the Special Status Guarantee, Polavaram dues, and electricity dues from the Telangana Government are pending? The scheduled meeting should also focus on Polavaram and special category status issues,” he said.

YS Jagan said that Hyderabad and its infrastructure in terms of industrial, road transport, and educational institutions were given to Telangana. “We have lost a lot in the form of revenue to the State. Adjusting this, the AP Reorganisation Act promised to provide infrastructure in many sectors. If these are fulfilled, then business and commercial activities will be boosted, which will increase the revenue gradually,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that as part of decentralization and comprehensive development, three capitals were announced. Balanced and integrated development between these areas is our responsibility. He suggested the officials develop a transport system connecting three areas and several road construction projects were already underway. All these programmes required comprehensive support and assistance from the Union Government, he added.

YS Jagan asked the officials to mount pressure on the Centre for the fulfillment of its promises, which included a new Central Agriculture University, construction of Dugarajapatnam port, a steel plant in Kadapa, and allotment of mines from National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC). “There is a need for a high-speed rail corridor from Visakhapatnam to Rayalaseema region. Superfast trains should be introduced to Kadapa via Visakhapatnam and Kurnool,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that airports at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati would be converted into international airports. Navy operations in Visakhapatnam were causing severe disruption to civil aviation, and it necessitated the relocation and construction of Bhogapuram Airport, he said. YS Jagan also said that special attention should be paid by the officials to the issue of the road connecting Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram Airport in the ongoing meeting with the Centre. The State Government had to acquire land for the Bhogapuram airport on the lines of Vijayawada, he added.

Referring to the metro rail project in Visakhapatnam, YS Jagan said, “As the private developer is bearing 60 percent of the project cost, the Centre has to bear the remaining 40 percent including land acquisition.” The division of assets between the two States was still pending and attention should also be paid by the officials to the division of common assets in different bank accounts, he added.