The National Democratic Alliance government on Tuesday made it clear once again that the special category status to Andhra Pradesh is a close chapter and so, there is no point in the state government asking for it again and again.
Union minister of state for home Nityananda Rai disclosed this in a written reply to a question raised by Telugu Desam Party MP K Rammohan Naidu on special category status and the various promises made by the Centre in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
The Union minister said the demand for special category status to Andhra Pradesh was no longer valid, following the recommendations of the 14th finance commission.
“We have agreed to extend additional financial assistance towards centrally sponsored schemes implemented between 2015-16 and 2019-20 in the ratio of 90:10 as a special assistance to AP,” he said.
He also said the Central government itself would pay the principal and interest on the foreign loans taken by the state between 2015 and 2020, as part of the special package.
“So, the special category status is a closed chapter and it cannot be revived,” he said.
With regard to the promises made under the AP Reorganisation Act, Nityananda Rai said the central government had held as many as 25 meetings with the representatives of the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments.
“We are making efforts to achieve consensus between the two states on certain issues,” he added.
