Following an acrimonious debate and heated exchanges, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution requesting the Government of India to accord Special Category Status to the State and implement all the provisions contained in the A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014.
The resolution, moved by the Chief Minister, also urged the Union Government to implement the assurances made by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the floor of Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014, which include fiscal measures like tax incentives to promote industrialisation and economic growth, special development package, release of balance grant to bridge the revenue deficit, establishment of all educational institutions and provision of infrastructure facilities provided in schedule XIII, implementation of Section 8, early completion of Polavaram irrigation project and all other commitments made in the Act and assurances made in Parliament to enable the State to achieve level-playing field.
Earlier, Leader of Opposition Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to serve an ultimatum on the Centre that he would withdraw TDP ministers from the Union Cabinet if Special Category Status was not granted within a month. Such move would strengthen the resolution and exert pressure, he opined.
Before Mr. Jagan made his remarks on the ultimatum, the Chief Minister defended the decision of his party to ally with the BJP and reiterated his demand that the Centre hand-hold Andhra Pradesh till the it achieved a level-playing field with neighbouring States.
