30th SZC Meeting: AP Seeks Continued Support For Polavaram, Expediting Pending Bifurcation Issues

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath, requested the Centre to extend continued support for the early completion of the Polavaram project which is the lifeline of the AP, and declare it as a National Project.

The Finance Minister was leading a delegation of officials along with Minister for Mines, Forests Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy representing the state at the 30th Southern Zonal Council meet in Thiruvananthapuram. He appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take decisions on the pending issues of the Partition Act as well as establish an effective mechanism with adequate empowerment for their implementation and monitoring.

The other aspects which Buggana Rajendranath had spoken at the SZC meeting were:  

►It was promised in the Parliament then, during the bifurcation that the State would be compensated for the damage done to AP in the wake of the partition. Almost a decade has passed but many of these promises have not been implemented so far resulting in the state facing severe problems. The pending issues should be resolved quickly, he urged.

► A separate development package should be given to the joint seven districts. A total of four districts in Rayalaseema and a total of three districts in Northern Andhra are lagging behind in development. In the Partition Act, a special development package was promised for these districts, which the then Prime Minister promised in the Parliament. A package of Rs.25,000 crore should be given to seven districts under the Bundelkhand-style package taking into account population and inflation.

► Rayalaseema Drought Relief Project, Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanti projects should be supported under PMKSY revised guidelines.

► Tax incentives for industrial development, in line with those extended to states enjoying SCS.In this context, under Section 94 (2) of the Partition Act, the industrial subsidy will be given for a period of five years to promote industrialization in the state.

► In February 2019, the central government announced that a new railway zone would be established with Visakhapatnam as the headquarters under Schedule 13 of the Partition Act. He urged the Centre to operationalise the New South Coastal Railway Zone at the earliest.

► Under Section 66 of the Partition Act, the Center has the power to issue orders for the partition of assets of various institutions. Even after ten years of partition, the state is facing administrative difficulties as the division of the assets of the institutions has not been completed. The Center should exercise its powers and issue orders for the completion of the distribution of assets.

► Under Section 93 of the Partition Act, an Agricultural University of national importance was to be established in Schedule 13. However, the central government has given the aid of Rs.135 crores and suggested that the state agricultural university should be considered a national-level university. As AP is an agriculture-based state, we want to establish an agricultural university of national importance.

► Revenue deficit grant is to be given to the State as specified in the Act. The delay in granting this grant is affecting the development of the state, he said.

The Home Minister advised the Home Secretary to convene a meeting with the Chief Secretaries of the two States regarding the delay in the distribution of assets and debts of the institutions under the Schedules of the Partition Act. The Chief Secretaries of AP and Telangana states should resolve the issue of distribution of assets, under the provisions of the Bifurcation Act, Amit Shah said.

Also Read: 30th SZC Meeting:19 Subjects Related To Andhra Pradesh Listed In Agenda