The Hindu Business Line : AP debt being deployed in core sectors, says CM

EMPHASISING the fact that the fiscal devolution formula needs a re-look in terms of performing and non-performing States, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, said that the State debt was being deployed for capacity building in sectors such as primary education, health, rural development and infrastructure.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Mr Naidu said that the State was not in a debt trap as some vested interests are portraying and maintained that the entire debt is being serviced promptly and the funds deployed for productive areas. Progressive States like Andhra Pradesh cannot be penalised and one cannot cite isolated reports to justify the issue of State debt.

"We need to look at the financial status in a holistic manner before reaching a conclusion. Several times, motivated reports do appear about the poor state of economy. This is not true. In fact, reforms initiated over the last seven-eight years have begun to yield results in sectors such as education, healthcare and population control. These will yield better results ahead," he said.

Referring to recent `Praja Sadassus' or public meetings held in four districts, Mr Naidu said that the response was overwhelming where the highlights of 100-month TDP rule and the vision for development of the State were explained. The only way to go forward was to bring in a positive development agenda that is based on performance of various sectors and backed by good governance.

With regard to recent efforts to articulate a case for a separate Telangana State, Mr Naidu said he was personally opposed to any such move that talks of separatist movement. This is detrimental to the State and the interests of the country.

The only way to help underdeveloped parts of the State is to retrain our attention and deploy more funds. This can be judged from the larger funds allocated to such regions.

On the possibility of simultaneous elections to the State Assembly and the Lok Sabha, Mr Naidu said he was open to any option as it was for the NDA leadership to decide how to go about the whole process.

While the Election Commission would decide when to host the polls, he would prefer the State to go ahead with polls at the earliest. The enumeration process is under way and if there are any irregularities they would be sorted out.

Mr Naidu while refusing to comment on the proposed mega projects of the German Volkswagen car plant and the FormulaOne project, said that the Government officials were keenly pursuing them.

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