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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday and sought release of pending funds from the Centre and also special status for the State.
Reddy, who met the Prime Minister at his chambers in Parliament, conveyed to him that the Finance Ministry had already agreed to remove component-wise expenditure ceiling on the Polavaram project as the proposal has been pending in the Jal Shakti Ministry.
The Chief Minister further sought immediate steps from the Centre to release ₹7,230 crore arrears by the Telangana government to APGenco for the power supplied to it for three years from 2014.
Long-pending demand
Reddy also took-up the long-pending demand from the State to grant Special Status to Andhra Pradesh and implement other assurances given at the time of State bifurcation in 2014 as would help attract investments for industrial development and improve employment opportunities.
The Chief Minister also urged the Prime Minister to grant necessary funds for the 55-km six-lane highway that connects Visakhapatnam city with Bhogapuram International airport via Bhogapuram, Bhimili, Rishi Konda and Visakhapatnam Port.
He also further urged that the Visakhapatnam-Kurnool high speed corridor proposed in the Andhra Pradesh Bifurcation Act be extended to Bangalore via Kadapa, and as part of this, new railway line should be laid connecting Kadapa, Pulivendula, Mudigubba, Sri Satya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam and Hindupur for providing proper connectivity to the backward Rayalaseema.
The Chief Minister also appealed to Modi to expedite approval for the Visakha Metro Rail Project.
Political speculation
Reddy’s meeting with the Prime Minister ahead of general elections triggered speculation among the political circles on the possible poll alliance between BJP (NDA) and YSR Congress Party. Reddy’s meeting came close on the heels of a meeting of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu with Union Home Minister Amit Shah two days ago. There have been reports hinting a possibility of TDP joining NDA as part of its pre-poll alliance.
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