Upset over the ‘raw deal’ meted out to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley shortly to press for more funds and special category status to the State.
With several Ministers expressing their disappointment over the Centre not keeping its word and making adequate provision in the Union Budget to compensate for the revenue deficit, adequate allocation for the new capital and the Polavaram project, the State Cabinet devoted better part of its marathon seven-hour meeting here on Wednesday on the way forward.
At one stage, a suggestion was also mooted to adopt a Cabinet resolution against the poor allocation to the State, but the move was dropped as it could be construed as serving an ultimatum.
Restraint
However, Mr. Naidu after giving a patient hearing was believed to have counselled his Cabinet colleagues to show restraint while giving vent to their feelings. Finally, it was decided that a letter would be written first and then Chief Minister would seek an appointment and go to New Delhi after the return of Mr. Jaitley, who is abroad at present.
According to sources, the Ministers reportedly expressed strong resentment over Centre’s apathy to the beleaguered State struggling on one hand with the huge revenue deficit of Rs.15,000 crore and no concrete measures from the Centre to translate assurances in the State Reorganisation Act and those made on the floor of Parliament.
“This is a big let down by the Centre,” several Ministers were believed to have said and also reportedly mentioned that they were being questioned by people in their constituencies about the Centre’s indifference.
Unhappy with the Centre leaving implementing of assurances such as special category status or tax incentives to industries to officials, the Ministers argued that bifurcation was a political decision and it called for a political decision while implementing the provisions of the Act.
They suggested that a detailed letter be written to the Centre first recounting the assurances given to the State and that precious little that had been done even after eight months.
The BJP Ministers too were reported to have agreed that the State was treated unfairly and assured to take up the issue with their leadership.
