Centre still in favour of special status to AP: Naidu

Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the Centre is in favour of granting Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh and is in the process of finding out ways to fulfil the demand even as the Opposition parties in the state has upped the ante on the issue.

“We have not gone back on <g data-gr-id="30">word</g>. There has been a discussion on possibilities. There is no question of going back. Why would Chandrababu Naidu (AP CM) or anyone go back? We are still in favour of (granting) special status to Andhra Pradesh,” Naidu said.

YSR Congress had called for a statewide bandh on Saturday over the delay in according special status to the state. The CPI, earlier this month, had organised a <g data-gr-id="29">shut down</g>, which was supported by the Congress and other parties.

Blaming the previous government for the delay, Naidu said the Congress did not do its job properly. “They have not included that in the Act (AP Reorganisation Act). There is no approval from Planning Commission also. NDC approval was also not obtained. The 14th Finance Commission has also not recommended. Under these circumstances, we have to find out ways and means,” he said.

Naidu said he is in discussions with the members of Niti Ayog (National Institution for Transforming India) on the issue. He said as many as nine other states are also demanding for special status.

The promise of special status, in addition to several other benefits, was made to Andhra Pradesh by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Parliament at the time of its bifurcation last year.

Alleging that the NDA allies – BJP and TDP – have failed to implement the promises in the last 15 months since they assumed office, the YSR Congress, Congress and other parties have hit the streets.