Andhra CM Naidu says it is Centre's responsibility to accord special status to the state

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said it was the responsibility of the Centre to accord the special status to the state and implement all other promises made at the time of its bifurcation. [caption id=“attachment_2918456” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu. CNN-News18[/caption] Addressing the Independence Day parade in Anantapur, he demanded the Centre immediately grant special category status to his state and create a railway zone to fulfill the promises. Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a partner in BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, regretted that the central government was neither fully bridging the state’s revenue deficit nor providing funds for the development of the state capital and construction of Polavaram project. He also wanted the Centre to take steps to address the interstate issues between Andhra Pradesh and the newly carved state of Telangana. Naidu said he was fighting without any compromise to make the Centre fulfill all promises and assurances given in Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. He repeatedly requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do the handholding till Andhra Pradesh develops on par with the neighboring states. Naidu spoke about what he called was injustices done to the state by previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government by dividing it in an unscientific manner. He said the state was left to fend for itself in the absence of allocation of revenues and a state capital. The Chief Minister said despite all the odds, his government tried to put the state’s economy on track. He pointed out that during last financial year, the state achieved top position with a growth rate of 10.99 percent against the national average of 7.5 percent. He claimed that the state is at second position after Gujarat in ease of doing business, third in attracting investments and number one in implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. Naidu said he had set a goal of making Andhra Pradesh one of the three developed states in the country by 2022, number one state by 2029 and the best state in the world by 2050. The Chief Minister vowed to ensure development of the backward Rayalaseema region. He announced Rs 6,554 crore package for drought prone Anantapur district. Out of this Rs 1,767 crore will be used to free the district from drought.