If the figures calculated by the Joint Fact-finding Committee (JFC) constituted by Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan are taken into account, Andhra Pradesh is still supposed to get an amount of Rs 74,542 crore under various schemes and projects till now.
According to JFC member and Lok Satta president Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, the total amount includes reimbursement of revenue deficit, funds accrued to the state under special category status in the last three and a half years, pending assistance for provision of basic amenities to Amaravati and special package to the development of seven backward districts of Rayalaseema and north-coastal Andhra.
JP said the estimated assistance does not include the cost of Polavaram project which has to be borne by the Centre since it is a national project and the cost of construction of Amaravati as per the approved designs, besides construction of port in lieu of Dugarajapatnam port as promised in the AP Reorganisation Act.
The JFC felt that the NDA government was trying to run away from its basic responsibility of fulfilling the promises made in the Act.
“What the state had got from the Centre as per the act so far was just pittance. It should announce a Bundelkhand type of package of Rs 20,000 crore to the backward districts of north coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema,” the JFC said.
The committee said there was no question of compromise on the special category status.
“If the Centre does not want to name it as special category status, it should extend all the benefits being given to the northern states to Andhra Pradesh, too,” JP said.
