Mr Naidu wanted the Centre to sanction Rs 58,000 crore required for the Polavaram project
Highlights
- Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh meets Prime Minister Modi
- TDP President Chandrababu Naidu gives PM Modi 17-page memorandum
- Chief Minister Naidu urges PM Modi to act on 'long pending demands'
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and urged him to fulfil all the commitments when the state was split, amid visible tensions between the Telegu Desam Party and the BJP.
During an hour-long meeting, the TDP President discussed with PM Modi what he said were unfulfilled promises under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and submitted a 17-page memorandum.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes amid indications of strain in the relations between the Telugu Desam Party and its ally the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Mr Naidu, who called on PM Modi after one-and-a-half years, appealed to him to take immediate steps on long pending demands keeping in view the next year's simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assembly.
The TDP has already dropped hints that its patience with the Centre was growing thin. The party MPs had also met PM Modi on the last day of the winter session to submit him a memorandum.
Mr Naidu wanted the Centre to immediately sanction Rs 58,000 crore required for the Polavaram project and ensure that sufficient funds were allocated in the central budget for development of the new state capital Amaravati.
He also wanted PM Modi to take urgent steps to increase the number of seats in the state Assembly from 175 to 225 as committed in the Reorganisation Act.
Mr Naidu said the Centre should totally fund the cost of the project, which has been declared a national project.
While announcing special package in lieu for the special status in 2016, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely had declared that the entire expenditure of the project would be borne by the Centre.
Mr Naidu told PM Modi that Andhra Pradesh suffered huge losses due to bifurcation of the state as it had to face financial problems. He said further delay in fulfilling the commitments given in the Act will add to the problems.
As the state has to receive Rs.20,010 crore from Centre in the form of Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) under the special package, Mr Naidu urged PM Modi to provide the funding assistance as central grant from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) instead of loans through external funding agencies.