Centre giving special treatment to AP: Rajnath

AMARAVATI: The Centre was giving special treatment to Andhra Pradesh as it was fully committed to the state's comprehensive development but the Chandrababu Naidu government was still making a fuss in the name of special category status, Union Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.

Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for the BJP'S state headquarters at Reddipalem in Guntur, Singh accused Naidu of hoodwinking the people of the state in the name of special category status (SCS).

“I still dont understand why he quit the NDA. The Centre openheartedly did a lot for AP and has been implementing the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 with full honesty and in letter and spirit,” the Union Home Minister said.

It did not matter whether one stayed (with NDA) or not, he remarked, adding the Centre would do “whatever needs to be done” for the comprehensive development of the state.

He wondered why TDP was still stuck with (the demand for) SCS when special treat- ment was being given to AP.

“The state is being given a whopping Rs 2,06,910 crore in the form of the 14th Finance Commission grant in addition to the Rs 22,130 crore revenue deficit grant. Of the Rs 4,170 crore resource gap (caused by the bifurcation), Rs 3,979 crore has already been released,” he pointed out.

Singh also listed various other monetary grants and the establishment of national institutions in Andhra Pradesh, post-bifurcation.

“The state government is supposed to complete these projects promptly but it is still stuck with SCS. It is only hoodwinking people and not completing the projects,” Singh said.