Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the latter’s residence in New Delhi and disçussed several key issues related to the State, including the Polavaram project, Kadapa Steel Plant, rationality in coverage of beneficiaries under National Food Security Act and arrears from Telangana Discoms to the State, among others.
During the interaction, the Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to approve the revised cost estimates of ₹55,548.87 crore of Polavaram project as per Technical Advisory Committee meeting on February 11, 2019. He said ₹31,118 crore need to be spent on the project, of which ₹8,590 crore was for construction and ₹22,598 crore is for rehabilitation.
He also requested the Prime Minister to clear the bills in toto, and not component-wise and added to directly transfer R&R package amount to the accounts of beneficiaries without any delay.
Ration supply
Mr. Jagan said there was inadequate coverage of beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA), and large number of needy and deserving persons not being covered. He said while the State government was providing ration to 1.45 crore families, only 0.89 crore families were receiving ration from Central government and the State government was providing ration to remaining 0.56 crore families, he said and requested the Prime Minister to direct the officials concerned that State’s data be revised.
The Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to renew the approvals of the site clearences for greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram. In regard to setting up an Integrated Steel Plant in YSR district, he said MECON, a Government of India undertaking, had not yet concluded its report as to the feasibility of the integrated steel plant. The State government had incorporated ‘YSR Steel Corporation Ltd’ for establishing the steel plant and sought Centre’s support.
The Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to give approvals to allot beach sand minerals to Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation at 16 places. He also urged the Prime Minister to give approvals for setting up another 12 teaching hospitals in the State. Mr. Jagan said the State government had spent ₹32,625.25 crore in the form of pending bills during bifurcation and as a part of implementation of X Wage Commission recommendations and urged the Prime Minister to fill the revenue deficit.
Revenue loss
Mr. Jagan said the State government had lost revenue due to birfurcation and COIVD pandemic, and urged the Prime Minister to relax credit limit of the State. The Chief Minister said ₹6,455.76 crores was receivable by Andhra Pradesh Generation Corporation Limited (APGENCO) from the Telangana State Distribution Utilities and Telangana Discoms, and requested the Prime Minister to direct the authorities concerned to settle these dues at the earliest so that the State power sector would be financially strengthened.
Later, Mr. Jagan called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and discussed issues related to the State.
