Coming down heavily on the Centre, the Lok Satta district leaders announced that an agitation would be launched for the special status for the State.
They called upon their party members and general public to start sending one lakh post cards to centre seeking immediate grant of the special status to Andhra Pradesh.
Stating that a fervent appeal would be made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Satta district president M. Ankamma Chowdary on Friday said that the special status grant would be the only way to undo the damage done to the State.
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Many injustices were meted out to Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation and the Centre should be borne this in mind while extending a helping hand to the State, he added.
Releasing pamphlets meant for the special status agitation, Mr. Ankamma Chowdary said that once the special status was granted, the State would stand to gain in terms of getting additional funds to fill up the budget deficit.He pointed out that at the time of bifurcation, the State was facing financial problems when compared with Telangana.
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He further said that the industries would get a new lease of life what with 100 per cent tax relief under a special status regime.
This would clear all hurdles for the setting up of new industries and thereby creating a plethora of job opportunities.
Grant sought
The leaders demanded a grant of Rs. 4,000 crore per annum for four years to Polavaram irrigation project as per the promises made at the time of the State bifurcation. The party activists also said that the Centre must grant special package for Rayalaseema districts and North Coastal Andhra regions, apart from setting up a steel plant in Kadapa.
The party plans to send one lakh post cards to the Union govt. seeking immediate grant of special status