Don't punish us for TDP regime's wrongs: Jagan to PM Modi

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi yet again in New Delhi to press for state's demands, including several issues “that are unattended for the past eight years since the 2014 bifurcation.”

Reddy on Wednesday conveyed to the PM that the development of Andhra Pradesh is largely hampered due to the delay in resolving issues.

“Despite a special committee headed by the Union finance secretary holding several meetings and discussing the unsolved bifurcation issues and related assurances given by the government in Parliament, no progress has been made towards resolution,” the CM said.

Jagan told Modi that an amount of Rs 32,625 crore, including resource funding of Rs 18,330 crore for 2014-15 and pension arrears payable to the state, are pending, while appealing to him to expedite the payments immediately.

He said the finance ministry has been imposing restrictions on the state government on its permitted borrowings, “while adjusting the loans taken during the previous TDP regime borrowing beyond limits.”

“We are facing several restrictions now for the wrongs of the Chandrababu Naidu government,” Jagan said, asking the PM to intervene to do away with the limitations.

“Andhra Pradesh would suffer financially if these restrictions continue, especially at a time when the country is set to fight the new variant of Covid-19,” he said.

The CM complained further that no final decision was taken by the Centre on the estimated expenditure of the Polavaram Project despite the technical advisory committee finalising the total project cost as Rs 55,548 crore.

“Apart from not reimbursing the Rs 2,938 crore spent by the Andhra Pradesh government on the project from its own revenues so far, the Centre has also wrongly chosen to treat the drinking water supply system separately from the project,” Jagan said while pointing out that such rule was not applied in any other irrigation project of national status.

He also appealed for release of Rs 10,485 crore immediately on ad hoc basis to begin land acquisition and take up relief and rehabilitation works for families displaced with the increase of dam height to 41.15 metres.

Jagan asked Modi to ensure that the Telangana government pays its outstanding Rs 6,886 crore dues from the TS Discoms immediately to APGENCO, which is in dire straits.

Jagan also requested to grant 14 more medical colleges to AP to cater to the needs of people in 26 districts now following reorganisation.

The CM wants mines allocation to meet the iron ore requirement of the steel plant being built at Kadapa and support to the proposed 77-km-long Metro Rail Project in Visakhapatnam for which DPR has been submitted.

He also assured the prime minister that his government is well prepared to face the emerging threat of BF.7 variant.