VIJAYAWADA: Unlike in the Lok Sabha, the State’s concerns were discussed at length in the Rajya Sabha, with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Finance Minister Piyush Goel insisting that the interests of Andhra Pradesh would be better served by the special package offered by the Centre than special category status (SCS).
Both the BJP leaders reiterated that the NDA government was committed to fulfilling all the promises made to AP at the time of bifurcation. Rajnath, during a short-duration discussion on the State on Tuesday, also assured that a railway zone would be set up in Visakhapatnam.
The Home Minister said there was a “conflict” between former Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh’s promise of SCS and the 14th Finance Commission report, which has not made any distinction between special category State and other States.
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said the Centre “has an open mind. We are willing to consider in a rational manner how these issues can be resolved so that the letter and spirit is adhered to.” He later said that the Reorganisation Act’s purpose was to ensure that the people of Andhra Pradesh were benefited and the Modi government was fully committed to it.
“Don’t go by the letter, go by the spirit of the arrangement,” he said, adding that the state would not have got any extra funds through the special category status.
He explained that if Andhra Pradesh had been given special category status, all Central schemes would be reworked to 90:10 (Centre to State ratio of financial burden), but as the 14th Finance Commission had not differentiated between special status States and other States, it had granted `22,000 crore to the Andhra Pradesh to compensate for the deficit borne by it for a five-year period ending 2019-20. In addition to this, as part of the special package, the Centre had agreed to externally aided projects to the tune of over `32,000 crore, the financial burden of which it would fully bear.
If SCS was granted, not only would the State not be able to embark on externally aided projects at the Centre’s expense, but also have to forgo `17,500 crore of the revenue deficit granted to it.
Regarding the Polavaram Project, Rajnath said the irrigation scheme was a national project and the Centre takes full responsibility to ensure its completion in record speed.
Special Status Vs Special Package
Under SCS
State would have only got 90 per cent Central funding for Central schemes`17,500 cr additional amount state would have got under SCS through Central schemes `22,000 cr (aprox) revenue deficit grant for five years given to AP
EAP : Under externally aided projects State to get over `32,500 crore as per special package
10 of 11 : educational institutions promised during bifurcation granted permission, says Home Minister
Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Modi government should fulfil the promises made by it as well as the erstwhile UPA dispensation or a privilege motion would be moved against the NDA government.
However, BJP member G V L Narasimha Rao defended the Centre saying it had fulfilled most of the promises made to the State and accused the TDP of “misleading its own people”.
Initiating the debate, TDP leader Y S Chowdary said the “hasty and unscientifically prepared and politically motivated decision of the undivided Andhra Pradesh” had caused agony to the people of the state. “The frustration and helplessness of the people of AP has serious implication for the future of the country as it rightly aspires to find its due place,” he said.
He claimed that the government had “blatantly” violated the provisions of the Constitution and neglected the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. Chowdary also alleged that the NDA government had “carefully orchestrated a misinformation campaign against the State with regard to special category status and central assistance given under the so called special package.”