VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday and discussed various projects, including Polavaram-Banakacherla and financial matters related to AP.
At the outset, the Chief Minister conveyed his appreciation to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Central Government for appointing senior TDP leader and former Union Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju as the Governor of Goa.
Following this, the Chief Minister held detailed discussions with Amit Shah on several issues concerning Andhra Pradesh. He briefed the Home Minister about the need for financial support for various projects and development programs in the state.
The CM also expressed his thanks for the Centre’s support during the state’s challenging times over the past year and said the state is working to rebuild its shattered economy with central assistance.
Surplus water of Godavari is AP’s right: CM
However, he highlighted that Andhra Pradesh continues to face a severe shortage of financial resources and urged the Centre to extend further support. He informed Shah that the 16th Finance Commission has been requested to consider the financial losses suffered by AP due to bifurcation while allocating funds.
He also raised the issue of the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, which is critical to supplying water to drought-hit areas in the State. If this interlinking project is completed, it will significantly benefit the drought-prone Rayalaseema region. Naidu explained to Shah that even after meeting the needs of the upper and lower riparian states, surplus water from the Godavari continues to flow steadily for about 90 to 120 days. He stressed that, as the last State on the river’s course, AP has the rightful claim to fully utilise this surplus water from the Godavari.
Earlier, NITI Aayog Member V K Saraswat met with the Chief Minister at his Delhi residence. They discussed the establishment of aerospace and defence industries in Rayalaseema. Later, he met Delhi Metro Rail MD Dr Vikas Kumar and deliberated on the construction Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada metro projects.