Vijayawada: Union Minister and TDP leader Satyanarayana Chowdary today said they would now press for a legislative backing to the special development package the Centre has announced for Andhra Pradesh.
“There is no use now in pressing for SCS (special category state) status, which is like (scrapped) Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. What we want is legislative backing for the special development package. We will seek that in the winter session of Parliament beginning tomorrow,” he said.
Chowdary was speaking to reporters at the end of the party’s Parliamentary meeting here in the evening.
TDP, an ally of BJP in Andhra Pradesh and also at the Centre, would also press for funds to the Polavaram multi-purpose project and establishment of a new railway zone at Visakhapatnam.
“We expect clarity soon on the Nabard funding for Polavaram. We will also seek a clear assurance on the railway zone,” Chowdary said.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who chaired the meeting, directed his MPs to “fight” for the legislative backing for the special development.
“They promised us the package in lieu of SCS and so it should be legalised at the earliest. Only then will it be useful for the State,” an official release quoting Naidu said.
He asked the MPs to meet Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other top BJP leaders on Wednesday and discuss the legal measures for the package.
“Getting maximum benefits to the state from the Centre should be your objective,” he added.
Implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and the promises made by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha in February 2014 should also be raised in Parliament, Naidu said.
“The state has been facing many problems because of the glaring anomalies in the Reorganisation Act (which paved way for division of AP). We have to get that corrected,” he said.
PTI