Instead of the long-awaited `Special Category' status, Andhra Pradesh might have to make do with a special package -that was the message that chief minister Chandrababu Naidu got from New Delhi on Tuesday .
The Centre assured Naidu “more than expected“ financial benefits as part of a special roadmap for the overall development of the truncated state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Naidu on Tuesday , has directed Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya to prepare the roadmap to fulfill all the assurances made to the state in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Modi assured the AP chief minister that all the promises made in the Act would be honoured and the financial pack age for the construction of the state capital will be finalised soon.
The crucial meeting be tween Naidu and Modi lasted for about 90 minutes. Naidu insisted on a timeline from the Centre on fulfilling the promises made in the Act (also specifics of the special package) even as the Union government made it clear to him that granting `Special Status' is next to impossible in the wake of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley , who was in the meeting, clarified that the Centre has already released `2,300 crore to bridge the state's revenue gap for the year 2014-15, and `1,500 crore for capital city construction.Naidu pointed out that the total revenue deficit was around `12,500 crore.
Later speaking to reporters, Naidu said, “Status is not a sanjivini (cure for all ailments).“ Jaitley , standing beside him, said that if not `special status', AP would get more than “what is expected.“
The finance minister said the `Special Category' status issue was in the Prime Minister's court and he would take a final call on the matter after the Niti Aayog gives its recommendations. “What is in a name? It is the substance that matters and AP will get everything that has been promised... and it will get even more,“ said Jaitley .
Naidu said he would be happy if AP gets a `level-playing field' when compared to neighbouring states, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana. “The division of the state was not our choice and we are left with no capital and resources. All Central government institutions are located in Hyderabad and it has been handed over to Telangana. We are building our state from scratch and we need more help as well as special treatment,“ the chief minister said.
