Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said Andhra Pradesh did not get the expected favourable response from the Centre post-bifurcation and asserted that he would exert pressure on the NDA government till the assurances given to the State were fulfilled.
Addressing the TD Legislature Party meeting here, he sounded exasperated at times and said the State could do little if the Centre kept on asking queries, whatever be the reasons. Citing an example, he said while Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised an amount of Rs.1,000 crore towards Hudhud cyclone relief, the Centre was asking queries and so far released Rs.650 crore.
On compensating the budget deficit, he said only Rs.500 crore was sanctioned. Besides a railway zone, there were other assurances to be fulfilled, he said and added that A.P. wants handholding till a level playing field was achieved vis-à-vis the neighbouring States. He said the State was pursuing with the Centre and would fight uncompromisingly in this regard.
Drought
Referring to the drought situation, he said top priority was being given to complete Pattiseema project to divert waters to Rayalaseema region.
At the same time, no injustice would be done to West Godavari and East Godavari districts.
Mr. Naidu took a dig at the opponents of the project and said they were worried that they would be finished politically if TDP government turned Rayalaseema into a drought-proof region.
He said the State government requested the Centre to send a team to study the drought situation. It sent a report and also sought advance releases.
The State had so far released Rs.180 crore for drinking water requirements. All measures were being taken to ensure supply of drinking water and fodder.
He said that government would be spending around Rs.30,000 crore on welfare pensions alone in the next five years.
